Saving Me
by TheIrishGilmore
Summary: Fate brought Quinn into the arms of the girl who had been there for her all along, Rachel Berry. But when fate deals Rachel a crushing blow, will Quinn find the strength to carry them both through the greatest fight of their lives?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone welcome to my second Glee story. I originally had not intended to start another Glee fic until I had finished writing my first but after introducing Quinn into my fic 'Step Up' and declaring that it would not be a 'Faberry' love fest, a couple of people requested a story that centred around them. I hadn't intended on it until I came up with an idea for a story and after some gentle nudging, here we are. My very first 'Faberry' story. Just a few things you should know about this fic, 1.) Babygate and Beth never happened, mainly because I felt the show never really put that much attention into the storyline and it felt very rushed and because I don't want to spend too much time veering off the topic at hand. 2.) This story takes place during the current season, Rachel and Quinn are seniors and they are together. I think that's it for now. I hope you like it and please review, I would love to hear your thoughts. I'm a sucker for reviews, the more I get the quicker I update Enjoy!**

**Saving Me**

Gazing around the room at her fellow Glee peers, Quinn smiled to herself as she watched them engage in a fierce battle of guitar hero world tour. Having gotten over the initially disappointment of placing twelfth at Nationals, and having grown closer over the summer, the entire group had found themselves spending more and more time together outside the confines of the glee choir room. Two years ago, the Quinn Fabray would have laughed off any suggestion that she would befriend such misfits. After all she was Queen Bee, the captain of the Cheerio's, the ultimate HBIC. Just being seen walking down the same corridor with such outcasts would have been considered social suicide.

Now, as she sat perched against the wooden cabinets that housed the many pictures of the Puckerman family, taking a sip of her bottled water, she knew deep down that joining the Glee club, for whatever reason, was one of the best decision she had ever made. A decision that had changed her for the better, made her want to _be_ better. But above all else, it had brought her into the arms of the person Quinn believed she was destined to spend the rest of her life with. High School romance be damned, this was love, but not just any kind of love, it was true love and no matter what her closed minded Christian parents thought, she was never going to walk away from it.

"Dude you suck at this. I've seen people with one arm play better than you," came the voice of Puck as he shoved Finn, earning himself a glare from the freakishly tall quarter back. "Okay, you two girls down bitchin'? Step aside Imma show you ladies how it's down," Santana cut in as she snapped her fingers and picked up Finn's discarded console guitar. Quinn was about to interject with a witty off handed remark about how the only strings Santana had ever plucked was a G string when out of the corner of her eye she spotted a pint sized brunette walk through the front door and place her coat on the rack. "Yo hot Jew in the house, I ain't talkin' bout me," Puck shouted out when he saw Rachel enter.

Once she had made her way into the living room, Quinn couldn't contain the smile that was creeping across her face. Her heart began to race a little in anticipation as she waited for her girlfriend, yes _her_ girlfriend to make her way over to where she was standing. As Rachel said her hello's to everyone in her usual cheery articulate manner, she turned around to see if she could spot Quinn, and when her gaze fell upon the beautiful blonde standing a few feet away, her chocolate brown eyes lit up and she excused herself from the conversation between herself Kurt and Mercedes, briskly crossing the room and into the arms of the woman she had been eager to see.

"Hey you," Rachel said as she gave Quinn a gentle peck on the lips and snuggled into the warm embrace she was currently entangled in. "Hey yourself. What took you so long? It's not like you to be late for anything?" Quinn asked, playfully mocking her girlfriends need to be on time for even the most insignificant things. Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes as she thought about the reason why she was indeed late for the glee club get together. "Ugh, I was feeling a little unwell earlier so I took a nap and completely forgot to set the alarm on my phone to remind me to wake up and when I finally did come round Daddy insisted that I have some of my nona's special soup to make sure that my stomach was sufficiently full enough to attend a party", she rolled out without so much as a single breath.

"Rach, if you're sick you should have stayed home," Quinn said with a look of concern as she stroked the smaller girls arms which were tucked around her waist. "No it's fine. My throat's a little scratchy, I probably over did it on that Broadway number Mr. Schue made me do in Glee last week. I'll be fine I promise," Rachel said trying to reassure herself as well as the girl in her arms, that her health was fine. Staring down into the brunette's eyes, Quinn could see the uncertainty that was there, but she put it down to Rachel remembering the time she laryngitis. "Okay, but if you start to feel unwell again tell me and I'll take you home," she said as she arched her famous Fabray eyebrow and watched her girlfriend nod her head.

After finally convincing Quinn that she was fine, and with the addition of passionate kisses used to cut her off from questioning her any further, bother girls joined in on the group fun. Everyone basking in the glory of defeating Finn at a game in which he claimed he was the champion, only to find that his computer game co-ordination was just as bad as his dancing. As everyone sat around discussing song ideas for the next glee assignment, Quinn basked in the feeling of Rachel snuggled into her side as they sat on the couch next to Kurt and Blaine. It was a feeling of pure bliss, a feeling of security that made her feel safe whenever she was in her girlfriends arms. Something she had never gotten from anybody else in her life. Not even her own parents. For the first time ever, Quinn Fabray was truly happy, and she owed it all to the doe eyed brunette who showed her more love than she had ever known.

The halls of William McKinley High were a buzz of noise and action as the jocks sent a football flying back and forth over the heads of students, the junior cheerleaders flirted almost obnoxiously with some of the star athletes, but that wasn't what caught Quinn's attention as she made her way down the hall. It was the obvious hand gesture of the leader of the Cheerio's junior pack indicating for a footballer to instigate a slushie attack. The gesture sent a shudder down Quinn's spine as she realised, the girl she was glaring at was a carbon copy, a clear representation of the girl she used to be. But that wasn't what was causing her to morph into HBIC mode, it was the fact that the person the slushie was intended for was _her_ girlfriend.

Noticing that Rachel's head was currently buried in her locker, no doubt strategically placing all her books in order of her classes for the day, Quinn, picking up her pace, intercepted the footballer and swotted his hand, sending the slushie back on him before he got anywhere near his intended target. Turning on her heel, Quinn bounded up to the preppy younger cheerleader giving her the most lethal HBIC glare she could muster up. These girls thought they were at the top of the school hierarchy, but Quinn Fabray was about to knock them off their pedestal.

"You think 'cause you strut around in your uniforms with your fake blonde hair and fake laugh and your barley there skirts that you have the right to be a bitch to whoever you want so long as it gets you a smile out of the brain dead jock who only wants to use you for?" Quinn scowls as the younger girl in front of her who can't hide her shock at being torn to pieces by her former cheer captain. "If you or any of your little cheer whore so much as look at Rachel Berry, trust me, I will finish you," with that, Quinn sent one last death stare towards each of the blonde look-a-likes and walked away, reminding them that while she may no longer be Cheerio royalty, she was still a force to be reckoned with.

Once Quinn refocused on Rachel, she noticed that her girlfriend had remained completely oblivious to the ruckus that just occurred a few feet away from her, much to the blonde girl's relief. Although the daily slushie attacks Rachel had endured throughout most of her high school career had lessened since her relationship with the former Queen Bee had become public knowledge, it had failed to make her completely immune to sneak attacks from the cheerleaders and the jocks when Quinn wasn't around to defend her honour. Something which caused the pretty blonde girl great anguish whenever she had to help wash Rachel's hair in the girl's bathroom.

It also hurt Quinn deeply to know that there was a time when she herself had been the sole perpetrator of most of the smaller brunette girl's misery. This was a bone of contention between the girls. While Rachel had assured her on countless occasions that she had forgiven her, deep down Quinn didn't want forgiveness; she just wanted to spend the rest of her life making it up to her. She wanted to prove to Rachel that she was worth of being her girlfriend, even if the smaller girl herself had made it clear that it wasn't necessary, it was something she needed to do.

"Hey baby," Quinn whispered into Rachel's ear as she wrapped a possessive arm around the brunette's waist and placed a kiss on the side of neck. Sensing the girl in her embrace smile at the gesture, Quinn removed her and moved to lean her back against the lockers so she could face her girl. "Hi…," Rachel trailed off as she brought a hand to her forehead as she momentarily fell into blackness, trembling slightly and falling against the locker for support. "Rach," the worry laced through Quinn's voice as she leaped forward and took the smaller girls protectively into her arms and steadied her on her feet.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" she asked once her girlfriend had gathered together her composure. Gazing into Quinn's hazel eyes, Rachel could see the worry that they encompassed. The blonde girl looked panicked, like her heart had stopped beating. As she held onto the taller girl's arms, Rachel straightened up and shook her head. "I'm fine. I guess I just turned my head too quickly I just went a little dizzy," Rachel reasoned as she noticed that the worry that had taken hold of Quinn's once smiling face was still holding firm. "Baby, I'm fine honestly. I'm probably still just a little under the weather. It's nothing to worry about."

Seeing the determined look that the little diva was giving her to drop the issue, Quinn reluctantly gave in, but made a mental note to keep an extra watchful eye over her girl for the rest of the school day, and after if necessary. "If this happens again I want you to go straight to the school nurse," she said to which Rachel smiled, basking in the feeling of someone caring so much about her wellbeing. "I mean it Rach. I don't want to come out of class to hear second hand that you've collapsed or something. If this happens again you go to the nurse's office," Quinn finished as she ran a gentle hand through silk brown hair before lowering her hand and resting it Rachel's waist, not caring about the looks she was receiving from her school peers.

"Okay, I promise," the smaller girl replied as she played with a button on the other girl's cardigan. Glancing at her watch, she conceded that it was time for her to leave to make it to her next class. She reluctantly untangled herself from Quinn's arms and removed her geometry book from her locker and the closed it over returning her gaze to the stunning blonde who's gaze never left her the whole time. "So I'll see you in glee after class?" Rachel asked. She knew for a fact Quinn would be there, she just wanted to delay going to class so she could spend more time with her girlfriend and sensing the brunettes need for reassurance, Quinn nodded her head in confirmation.

Leaning forward Rachel placed a kiss on the older girls cheek and just as she was walking away about to break contact with her girlfriend, she felt her hand being tugged to coax her to turn around to which she complied. "I'm serious about what I said about seeing the nurse. The second you even feel something's wrong, go," Quinn's firm stance was met with a simple nod of the head on her girlfriends part, but the look in her eyes suggested that she had taken everything to heart and would do as she was told. "Okay, I'll see you in glee," with that Rachel continued on her path her hand lingering behind her as it slowly detached itself from Quinn's grip, anxiously anticipating the moment when they would be reunited.

History class seemed to drag by for Quinn. It's not that she disliked the subject, it was more to do with the fact that she shared the class with Puck and, although he had proven on more than one occasion to have a generous heart in glee club, he still managed act like a complete juvenile the rest of the time. Quinn wasn't sure how much longer she could listen to him moan on about being turned out by Lauren. Enough was enough. Luckily the God's were on her side and the bell to end class and school for the day finally sounded out. Gathering her things, she quickly dashed out of the room ignoring the teacher's request that they wait behind so that he could pass out the homework assignments.

At this point and time, Quinn could have cared less about school work, she was more worried about tracking down her girlfriend to make sure she hadn't passed out during class. The incident by the lockers earlier had built up and overwhelming sense of worry in the blonde girl and her mind wouldn't rest until she found Rachel and saw for herself that she was alright. After dumping the contents from her last class in her locker, Quinn made a small detour to the nurses office, just to check if there was anything to worry about. When she noticed the room was void of any occupiers, she continued on her journey to the choir room, a smile creeping across her face when her eyes fell upon the little diva sitting in the front row waiting for her.

Upon entering the room, Quinn planted herself firmly in the chair next to Rachel and smiled at her, reaching across and lacing her fingers through Rachel's and resting their joined hands on her lap. When she gazed back up, she noticed that the usually preppy girl had her hand bowed and her eyes closed, her free hand paced across her stomach. Just as Quinn was about to speak, Mr. Schuester walked into the room and interrupted her. "Okay, I want to start by welcoming you all back. I know we had a tough year last year, but, I've got a good feeling about this one. I think we could really do it this time. So why don't hit the ground running…," Will trailed off when he saw spotted the raised hand of his female glee captain hanging in the air.

"Yes Rachel," he said, assuming this was going to be long winded speech about songs she deemed appropriate for the upcoming sectionals competition. Instead he was surprised to find a pale face staring back at him, looking lost and uneasy. "Mr. Schue, may I be excused, I'm not feeling well," she asked. Will nodded his head in concern and then watched as the young girl practically ran out of the room. "Rach!" Quinn called out as she bounded out of her seat gesturing towards the door at her glee coach who signalled his approval for her to follow the diva. As she stepped into the hallway, Quinn heard the sound of the bathroom door to her left closing over and darted in that direction in search of her girlfriend.

Pushing the door open, she walked in to the sound of retching coming from the last toilet stall. Running to the other end of the bathroom, Quinn pushed the stall door open to reveal Rachel on her knees hunched over the toilet bowl. Stepping into the stall, Quinn quickly reached down and gently took a hold of Rachel's hair, holding it out of the way, and with her free hand, she rubbed soothing circles the brunettes back. Once Rachel was finished, she stood up and accepted the tissue's Quinn had handed her to wipe her mouth. As they exited the stall, the elder girl grabbed some paper towels and ran them under the cold tap, and the stood toe to toe with the petite brunette, gazing down at her as she dabbed the tissue across her forehead, a groan escaping Rachel's lips at the cool feeling.

"Are you okay now? Do you want me to get Mr. Schue or something?" Quinn asked as she leaned one hand on the sink and held her girlfriends hand in the other, unable to hide the worry that was laced through every single word. Rachel shook her head and looked up at the taller girl, her eyes glazed over with tears after her vomiting episode. "No, c-can you take me home? I really don't feel up to returning to glee club," she asked as she squeezed her girlfriend's hands. Without a second thought Quinn nodded her head. She would do anything for Rachel, driving her home was something she took pleasure in doing; she didn't need to be asked. "Of course," Quinn said as she cupped her girlfriends face between her hands and placed a kiss on the girl's forehead before reaching down and capturing her lips in her own.

As Quinn's hands lowered to Rachel's neck, she was suddenly startled what she felt. Pulling out of the kiss, Quinn glanced down to where her hands were currently positioned, her brow furrowed in concern as she glanced back up into the diva's heavenly chocolate eyes. "Oh my God, Rach, your glands are seriously swollen. Have you been to see a doctor?" Quinn asked as she gently ran her fingers up and down the smaller girl's neck taking in everything. Rachel shyly shook her head 'no' and the glanced down at the sink. Although Quinn wanted to berate her girlfriend for not taking better care of her health, she couldn't. She remembered how scared Rachel had been when she was told she would have to have her tonsils removed. The idea of her vocal cords being damaged terrified her. But what Quinn was feeling wasn't normal and for her own piece of mind she needed to make sure that Rachel saw someone about it.

"I'm gonna call a doctor and see if I can get you an appointment for the today. I'll tell them it's an emergency if I have to," the blonde girl said as she reached into her pocket and removed her phone. Rachel opened her mouth to speak but was effectively cut off by a finger being waved in her face. "And no 'buts' this is happening whether you want it to or not," Quinn finished as she put the phone to her ear and waited for an answer. As Rachel turned back towards the sink to wash her hands, Quinn couldn't help but notice how frail her girlfriend actually looked. It worried her. It also had recently come to her attention that Rachel had lost come weight.

At first Quinn had put it down to the extra hours her girlfriend had been spending rehearsing her dancing skills over the summer, but now she was beginning to wonder if there was something more serious at play. It was times like this she could bawl out Rachel for being so neglectful of her health. When it came to Quinn, Rachel would mover heaven and earth to make sure that she was taking care of herself, she often wondered why the diva couldn't do the same for herself. Whatever was going on right now Rachel was ill and Quinn was determind to get her to a doctor as soon as possible to find out why?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, sorry it's taken me so long to reply, I've been wrapped up in college work. I'm officially on break for the week so hopefully, I'll get another chapter typed up soon and I'll also be able to update my other fic Step Up. Thank you for the reviews I really appreciate it. Again sorry for the delay and I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review I would love to hear what you think. **

Quinn Fabray was a lot of things. Smart, pretty, popular, artistic, incredibly loyal to the people she cares most about. But patient was definitely not one of those things, at least not where doctors were concerned, and the fact that Rachel was the one in need of medical assistance was not easing her restless fidgeting. She was worried for her girlfriend because she knew that if anything was seriously wrong, it would shatter Rachel, and Quinn couldn't bear to look into those perfect brown eyes and see heartbreak. The diva possessed one of the most optimistic outlooks on life, and it was true that when times were tough she was usually the one to lift everyone else's spirits.

But the fact remained that Rachel was still an incredibly delicate young woman and although she tried to come off as strong and invincible, Quinn knew better than anyone that all the brunette really wanted was to be accepted, and to feel protected from the harsh realities of the world. And that's exactly what Quinn did. She kept Rachel safe from harm. She held the younger girl's heart close to her own and protected it like it was the most precious thing in the world, because to Quinn it was and the idea that anything could cause it to break scared her more than anything else in the world.

As she sat in the waiting room with her arms perched on her knees, her chin resting in her hands, her train of thought was broken by entrance of a nurse who made her way straight over to where she was sitting. "Are you Quinn?" the nursed asked. She was a middle aged woman with short brown hair and gentle smile upon her face. Looking up, the Quinn nodded her as she formed the word 'yes' and watched as the older woman gestured for her to follow her. "The doctor's finished with the examination if you'd like to join your friend in his office", the nurse explained as Quinn crossed the room and followed her down the corridor. Once outside the door, the nurse knocked and then opened it allowing the young blonde behind her to enter.

Once Quinn entered the room, her gaze immediately fell upon Rachel who was sitting by the large oak desk in front of the window. Walking up to the empty chair, Quinn sat down and smiled at her, lacing her fingers through the brunettes open hand and giving it an encouraging squeeze, hoping to ease some of the tension that was weighing heavily on the little diva's shoulders. "What did the doctor say?" Quinn finally asked, hoping to get some answers. Rachel shook her head and then gazed down at their joined hands. "Nothing yet, he finished the exam and then told me to wait out here". Hearing the fear in Rachel's quivering voice, Quinn leaned forward and cupped her free hand around her girlfriends face, pulling her close and placing a soothing kiss to her temple.

Before either girl could say another word, the doctor, a tall man with greying hair, emerged from the examination room with a file tucked under his arm. Nodding at the two teenage girls sitting in his office, he couldn't help but notice how young and innocent they looked, yet oddly, possessed a maturity about them that was beyond their years. "Sorry to have kept you waiting I had to make some phone calls", he said as he eased himself into his leather swivel chair that was almost as big as he was. Placing the file down on the table, he opened it up and glanced over the notes he had made and then closed it again, intertwining his fingers and settling his hands down on the desk.

"Rachel, the exam I just conducted, it gave a clear indication that there are some abnormalities in your glands. That, along with the list of symptoms you described to me, well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned", the doctor explained, and when he stopped, he noticed the brunette's knuckles turn white as she tightened her grip on the hand she was holding. His attention was immediately drawn to the pretty blonde girl sitting next to her as he sought out some sign or expression of discomfort coming from her at the death grip that had engulfed her hand. Amazingly, he saw nothing but compassion and empathy as she used her free hand to rub soothing circular motions across the back of the smaller girl's hand. It was almost like she was oblivious to anyone else in the room or even the world around her.

"I've arranged for you to have further tests at the hospital tomorrow morning. They'll give us a better idea of what's going on. I've also called your father's to inform them of this consult and what will happen tomorrow. I know Leroy is acting Chief at Lima General so I'm sure can pull a few strings and have the results for you by the following evening", the doctor said as he tried to give the girl some comfort in the knowledge that she wouldn't have to wait around for days to find out her prognosis. However the fearful look that had been engraved on the girls face since the beginning of the conversation had only seemed to grow in intensity as she fought with her every being to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

Turning away from the doctor, Rachel gazed up into the hazel eyes of the older girl that had been focusing only on her and with a tearful pleading look, begged her to ask the one question she needed to ask, without saying a word. And just like always, Quinn knew what that question was by simply reading Rachel's face. "These tests, will there be any procedures involved?" the blonde girl asked, knowing that her girlfriend feared anything that could potentially damage her vocal chords. Singing was Rachel's life. It had defined her for her entire life and not being able to it would crush her beyond repair. Rachel had often told Quinn that as long as they were together nothing else mattered, and while Quinn knew that the diva loved her dearly, she also knew that she wasn't the younger girls' only love. But Quinn was okay with that. Music was a huge part of Rachel's identity, a part that made the blonde fall head over heels in love every time the brunette would get up and perform in glee club.

"It's likely that they will perform a biopsy tomorrow. It's not a major medical procedure, you won't be in an operating theatre, they'll do it in an exam room, and you'll be given an injection to prevent any feeling of pain or discomfort", the doctor said as he focused his attention on his patient. Rachel's head was bowed and she was trying her hardest not to cry but the nervous fidgeting of her free hand gave away just how unnerving it all was to her. "Rachel, I know this seems like a lot to take, but in the interest of your health, it's better to be safe than sorry".

Quinn nodded at that last statement. Although she was well aware of the fact that her little diva was silently panicking, and probably telling herself that none of this was necessary, Quinn could tell by the pensive look on the doctor's face that he knew this was more serious than he was letting on. But like all doctors, he refused to make any diagnosis until there was evidence to back it up. While Rachel was purposely remaining oblivious to just how sensitive the issue was, Quinn could feel her stomach turning in knots as hundreds of worst case scenario's started racing through her already overloaded mind.

Rachel needed to have tests. At an actual hospital. She was going to have a biopsy. It was now a fact that there was something seriously wrong and Quinn couldn't seem to subside the growing fear within her that her relationship with the girl she so clearly loved, was about to meet its first big hurdle. The question was, how big? Was it something that they could overcome together? Or was it something that would prove too big for their young teenage love to survive? As Quinn's thought's ran at a mile a minute through her overworked brain, she was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when she felt Rachel remove her hand from her grasp and stand up.

Finally remembering where she was, and after gather her composure, Quinn followed her girlfriends lead and stood up, both of them shaking the doctor's as he handed Rachel a slip of paper with the time of her appointment at the hospital in the morning. The small brunette gave him a weak smile and as Quinn watched on from her position standing just behind the chair she had been sat in just moments ago. When Rachel turned around and walked passed her, she followed the smaller girl out the door and when they were in the corridor, she bounded up to Rachel's side and slipped her hand into the small tanned diva's and gave it a firm squeeze as she gazed down into those big brown watery eyes.

Once they were outside and standing next to Quinn's car, Rachel couldn't hold it back any longer. Her entire body shook as she released heart wrenching sobs that had been threatening to fall since the doctor had began talking. Turning away from unlocking the door, Quinn was startled when she saw the state her girl was in. Shoving the keys into her pocket, she pulled the diva into her arms and held her close to her, unning her hand though the long wavy brown hair, as she swayed them from side to side, trying to ease the younger girl's free flowing tears.

"Shhh, Rach, it's gonna be okay. I'm right here", Quinn whispered into the smaller girls ear, trying to supress the slight quiver in her voice as she drowned her in light kisses, only to find that she herself, was now battling the threat of falling tears. Afraid to let Rachel see the worry etched across her, Quinn tightened her grip around the diva and held her so close, they were practically meshed into one person. Rachel began to shift and Quinn was worried that she was trying to release herself from the hug. She didn't want the brunette currently being held captive in her arms to see how scared she was. Instead she felt the warmth of arms wrap around her waist and hug her back just as tightly, sending a brief since of relief through the taller blonde.

Glancing up, Quinn noticed the stares of people passing by, their eyes steeped in curiosity as they tried to catch a glimpse at the crying brunette she held close to her. Realising how exposed Rachel was to the outside world and how vulnerable she was feeling, Quinn's protective instincts kicked in as she gently guided the smaller girl into the car, holding the passenger door open for her and waiting until she was seated securely before closing it and making her way to the driver's side and climbing in. Reaching into her pocket, Quinn removed her car keys and stuck them in the ignition, revving the car to life as she shifted it into gear and pulled out of the car park, heading in the direction of the Berry house.

Tearing her attention away from the road ahead of her, Quinn glanced at the sombre face of the girl sitting next to her. The girl who took her breath away every single time their eyes met. Only this time, their eyes didn't meet. Rachel was trapped in a daze like state as she stared absentmindedly out the window. Reaching across the centre console of the car, Quinn picked up Rachel's hand and interlaced their fingers. Bringing their joined hands closer to herself, she lowered her head and placed a soft kiss on the back of the tanned skin that she held on to. The feeling of warm lips and the tingling sensation it evoked within, sparked something inside Rachel for the first time since she let the doctor's office. It was a feeling of familiarity, of security, of love. Something that Rachel only ever felt when she was kissed by the girl who had fast become her whole world.

"I'm scared Quinn", Rachel said in a voice that was only slightly above a whisper, peppered with what could only be described as insecurity in its most heightened form. Turning her head away from the road, Quinn looked up into the lost brown eyes staring back at her and she could feel a piece of her heart break. All she wanted to do was tell Rachel that everything was going to be okay. That she had nothing to be sacred of. But Quinn couldn't shake off that knowing looking she had shared with the doctor back in his office. That look that spoke more than words ever could. That look that told her that this 'thing' was more serious than she wanted to believe. But she couldn't share her concerns with Rachel. She couldn't look into those big brown eyes and add to that fear. No, Quinn had to be strong, she needed to be strong. For Rachel.

"Okay, listen to me", Quinn said as she took a tighter hold of the other girls hand and pulled it to her chest. Rachel gazed at their joined hands which where cradled over the blonde girl's heart and she felt her breath hitch in her throat at the intimate gesture, relishing the feeling of the pulsating rhythm beneath their hands. Then she brought her focus up to the hazel eyes that were conflicted between staring at the road and back at her. And then the raspy voice next to her captured her attention again. "Rach, I'm going to be here for you. No matter what. Whatever shows up in the tests, we'll face it together. I'm not going anywhere. I promise", Quinn said as she clutched Rachel's hand closer to her chest, hoping the intense beating of her heart would indicate how serious she was.

Rachel didn't reply, she just simply nodded her head and then leaned into Quinn's side as they drove the rest of the way in complete silence. Both finding comfort in each other's presence. Once they reached the Berry household, Quinn walked Rachel to her door, cupping the brunette's jaw line in the palm of her hands she kissed her with as much passion and conviction as she could muster up, determined to prove to Rachel that she wasn't going anywhere. Quinn reluctantly pulled away, and gently caressed Rachel's cheek. "I'm going to be there, tomorrow, at the hospital. Okay?" Quinn said, and smiled when Rachel nodded her head. Leaning back in, Rachel kissed the blonde and then wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her in for a hug. Craving the comfort that only Quinn could give her.

Neither girl wanted to let go, however the appearance of Rachel's father's at the front door dampened the mood, and with great reluctance and willpower, they disentangled themselves from each other's arms and turned towards the older men. Quinn acknowledged them with a wave and a polite 'hello', to which they smiled at her, before turning their attention to their daughter who they were clearly worried about. "Rachel, honey, are you okay? We're so, so sorry we weren't at the doctors with you" Hiram said as he placed a comforting hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It's fine daddy, it was a last minute thing. Quinn arranged it and she was there with me. It was okay. Besides I have that appointment at the hospital tomorrow morning. That's the main focus right now", Rachel said as she tried to reassure her fathers.

This was a far cry from the Rachel who was overcome with fear only moments ago when she was alone with Quinn. But that was Rachel Berry in a nutshell, always going out of her way to comfort and reassure everyone else, even if she failed to find the comfort in her own words. Leroy nodded and then for the first time he spoke up, "Okay, well we've just started dinner, Quinn will we be graced with your company tonight?" he asked as he stared down at the blonde holding hands with his baby girl. Quinn shook her, "I'd love to but I need to get going. My mom's going to be wondering where I've been all evening. But thank you for the offer", Quinn replied, silently cursing herself. True enough she did have to get home, but the part apart her mother actually caring about her whereabouts was a complete lie.

By now her mother was probably on her third glass of wine after finishing work and would likely be in a merry state by the time Quinn arrived home. Sure there would be the awkwardness of a brief 'hello how was your day', followed closely by an argument over Quinn's relationship with Rachel, but besides that, whether or not the blonde was home for dinner didn't really matter. To Quinn, home was just bricks and water, which was probably why she enjoyed the company of the Berry's, who showed her what family living was really all about. They doted on Rachel, and being two gay men, they were more than accepting of their relationship. Although what that was she wasn't sure. Neither girl used labels to define themselves, they never called themselves or each other gay, or lesbian or even bisexual.

Quinn was attracted to Rachel and Rachel was attracted to Quinn and that's all that mattered. Whether or not there was a label for that was irrelevant, as long as they had each other, they were happy. Realising it was time to go, Quinn turned to Rachel and grabbed a hold of her hands. "I'll call you later okay", she said as she gazed into those dark brown eyes that made her weak at the knees. "Okay", Rachel replied and with that simple answer, Quinn leaned her head down to Rachel's level and captured her lips in her own, reminding herself not to use tongue in front of Rachel's fathers who were politely averting their gaze elsewhere, and with that, they pulled apart and Quinn said her goodbyes.

Climbing into her car, Quinn waited until all the Berry's had made their way inside the house before starting up her car and reversing out of the driveway. As she sat in the car driving home almost on auto pilot, Quinn was overcome with emotion as she realised that for the first time that evening, she was finally alone to reflect on the day's events and she was finding it difficult to keep it together. Although she hoped everything would go well at the hospital, she couldn't help but worry that her girlfriend's health may be in serious doubt. Quinn could deal with a lot of things, she could deal with not being a Cheerio anymore, she could deal with the prejudice she felt at home and at church for being in a relationship with another girl. She could even deal with having an emotionally absent father and an alcoholic mother. But she couldn't handle the possibility of anything happening to Rachel.

She was _the_ best thing that ever happened to her. She couldn't picture her life without her. Many people had told her that what she felt for Rachel was just a phase, was just teenage lust or infatuation, that it was puppy love and wouldn't last past high school. But Quinn knew deep down in her heart, that Rachel was the love of her life and regardless of what people said, they were going to be together forever. Sure coming from an seventeen year old it probably sounded unrealistic and a little naïve, but as far as Quinn was concerned, Rachel was it for her. No one else would ever come close. So why bother searching for something she had already found.

Before she knew it, Quinn was driving through her neighbourhood and pulling up into the driveway of her house. The light was on in the living room, clearly indicating that her mother was at home, probably downing the last of the wine from the drinks bar. After spending a couple of minutes just sitting in her car, Quinn gathered together her thoughts and then climbed out, making sure to lock the doors behind her. Walking up the pathway she skipped up the steps to the front door and, after taking a deep breath, entered the foyer. "Quinn, is that you dear?" came the voice of her mother. "Yes mom it's me", Quinn replied and just as she was about to make her way up the stairs, her mother appeared from the living room, glass of wine in hand.

"Where have you been? School ended hours ago?" Mrs. Fabray managed, though her speech was slightly slurred. Quinn had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the fact she had a drunk for a mother and instead began removing her jacket. "Rachel's been ill the last couple days so I took her to see a doctor after school" she said as she placed her jacket over her arm. Mrs. Fabray scoffed at the mention of the brunette's name. "You're not still seeing that girl are you Quinn? I mean seriously, when is this little phase of yours going to pass?" she said as she took another sip of her wine.

"Rachel isn't some phase mom. She's my girlfriend. Deal with it", Quinn said as she arched her eyebrow in classic HBIC style. Clearly fed up of her daughter's antics, Mrs. Fabray rolled her eyes up to the heavens. "Oh whatever Quinn, just remember that the annual golf classic is on tomorrow at the club so try to appear normal in front of your father's work colleagues. The last thing we want is a scandal". Quinn scowled; it hurt her to know that her own mother couldn't accept her for who she was. For who she chose to be in a relationship with. But she wasn't going to show weakness.

"I'm not going. Rachel has an appointment at the hospital and I'm going with her", Quinn said. She could see her mother was about to object, so before she could speak, Quinn raised her hand to silence her mother, "And before you say anything, I wasn't asking your permission, I'm just informing you out of courtesy. Say 'Hi' to daddy's fellow club goers from me", Quinn finished sarcastically as she turned on her heel and bounded up the stairs, leaving her mother in stunned silence at her tone. Entering her bedroom, Quinn threw her jacket on the chair next to her desk and flopped down on the bed. Tomorrow would be a long day. She needed to be well rested.

The following morning came around quickly, too quickly for Rachel. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning, sleep evading her as fear plagued her every thought and occupied her restless mind. True to her word Quinn had called her the night before and had spent a good hour trying to put Rachel at ease. But it was useless. Nothing she said had really registered in the tiny brunettes head. Some would say she was being over dramatic about the whole thing. But Quinn knew Rachel better than anyone. She was well aware of the insecurities that the little diva buried beneath the surface and hid behind obnoxious smile that irritated her fellow glee clubbers.

That's why the blonde was so sympathetic to this current situation. She knew that anything that could prevent Rachel from achieving her Broadway dream would destroy her, and that's why she was so protective of her superstar girlfriend. That's why she went out of her way to do things like book doctor's appointments whenever Rachel was sick, or spent hours going over music assignments or watching the smaller girl rehearse. Because even if the pinnacle of Quinn's like was her Queen Bee status in High School, she knew that Rachel Berry was destined for far more beyond those school walls and for that reason alone she was determined to make sure that the girl she cared so much about achieved all of her dreams.

After spending two hours lying awake in bed, Rachel knew she couldn't put off getting up any longer. Her appoint was at ten o'clock. Even if she was terrified, she was damned if she was going to be late, she'd never been late for anything in her life and this was not going to be an exception to her impeccable time keeping skills. Climbing out of her bed, she grabbed a towel and headed for the shower. The warm water against her skin was soothing and it was a momentary distraction she was grateful for. After scrubbing every square inch of her body, she stepped out of the shower dried herself off, wrapped the towel around her and stood by the sink to brush her teeth and floss.

With all her cleaning rituals done, she entered her bedroom and proceeded to dress for the day. Noticing the silence in her room, she realised that Quinn had not called her like she usually did first thing in the morning. Walking to her bedside table and picking up her cell phone, she noticed she had a text message and opened it up. A smile spread across her face when she saw it was from the girl she called 'her better half'. Opening the message she read it and smiled.

_Sorry baby, I'm running late. _

_I have to make a pit stop._

_I'll meet you and your Dad's at the hospital. _

_Love you, Q. xoxo_

Although disappointed that Quinn would not be travelling with her to her appointment, she took comfort in the fact that the older girl had the courtesy to text her and inform her that she was delayed. Normally Rachel would be curious about why Quinn was in fact delayed, but she had more pressing issues on her mind and that piece of information seemed insignificant. Sliding her phone into the back pocket of the jeans she had chosen to wear, Rachel grabbed the purple cardigan off the bed and made her way downstairs, silently repeating a motivational mantra to keep herself from stalling.

A half an hour had been spent making pointless conversation with her fathers. They had been trying to keep the young girls spirits up and stressed that everything would be fine and although Rachel wanted to believe them she just couldn't. But she also didn't want her fathers to feel like their efforts were in vain, so she politely smiled and nodded her head at them, thanking them for their "encouraging" words. Leroy, the doctor in the family, and the Chief of Medicine at Lima General, had decided to leave early so he could make sure that his baby girl was given his staff's undivided attention, which meant he had to leave early to bark orders and pull strings so that Rachel was examined and diagnosed by the end of the day. There was no way he was going to allow this turn into a waiting game.

As the clock struck nine o'clock on the dot, Hiram ushered his daughter out to the car and they drove in silence to the hospital. Not even the soothing sounds of Barbra were enough to encourage a single sound from his usually vocal chid. But it didn't matter. Before they knew it, they were pulling up into the hospital car park and Rachel could feel the nauseating feeling in the pit of her stomach rising up. When she glanced up and saw the 'Lima General Hospital' sign staring back at her the reality of it all began to sink in and not even her fathers' comforting hand hold was enough to draw her out of her sudden slump. Climbing out of the car, they made their way up to the main entrance, but just when they were in touching distance, Rachel froze.

Her feet were rooted to the spot and her face was deathly pale. She couldn't do it. She couldn't walk into that hospital, because she had this overwhelming sense of knowing that something was wrong and she would not be leaving as a visitor. Hiram stood next to his daughter and tried everything he could to urge her inside but nothing was working. Rachel felt sick. She wanted to turn and run, but just as she was about to make a hasty exit, she felt a warm hand slip into hers and squeeze it tightly. Turning to her side, she saw the sweet empathic smile of the blonde girl staring back at her and she felt her walls begin to crumble. Hiram stood back and watched. Knowing that if anyone could encourage Rachel to do anything it was Quinn.

"I can't do this", Rachel spoke up for the first time that morning. Her voice was shaky as she fought back the urge to cry. Quinn grabbed a hold of Rachel's other hand and pulled the girl to her so that they were face to face. Releasing one of Rachel's hands, she brought her own up to the brunettes face and placed it on the side of the girls face, running her thumb over her cheek and wiping away the stray tear that had fallen. "Yes you can. You're Rachel Berry. You can do anything you want", Quinn said with a heart-warming smile. As Rachel gazed up at the hazel eyes staring down at her, she couldn't hold back the smile that had taken over. Nodding her head, she gripped Quinn's hand tightly and allowed the older girl to guide her into the hospital, her father following close behind.

After checking in at reception and being pointed in the direction of the ENT block, Quinn, Rachel and Hiram now found themselves sitting in the family waiting room, joined by Leroy who was currently in deep discussion with his husband and the doctor who would be overseeing Rachel's biopsy procedure. The two girls remained seated in the far corner of the room, Quinn keeping a tight hold of Rachel's hand as the brunette focused her attention on the three men standing by the doorway. Realising her girlfriend needed a distraction Quinn gave Rachel's hand a slight tug to snap her out of her thoughts.

"Hey, I've got something for you", she said in a hushed voice so only Rachel could hear her. The smaller girl turned her attention to her side and watched as Quinn picked up her oversized handbag and reached inside. When she removed her hand she revealed a small stuffed lamb in her grasp. "Lambs are kinda my thing", Quinn said wittily, in reference to Rachel's remark about stars. She handed the stuffed lamb to Rachel and then placed her arm around the diva's shoulders giving them a squeeze. "I figured since I can't be around twenty-four seven, you could use something else to cuddle. Something that reminds you of me", Quinn said as she watched Rachel trace her finger over the stuffed animal.

"Thank you Quinn", Rachel finally spoke as she looked up with tears forming in her eyes. Leaning into Quinn's embrace, Rachel buried her head into the crook of the other girl's neck and relished the feeling of being wrapped up in what she considered to be her protective shield. The place she felt the most safe, the place she where she felt like everything would be okay. Just as she was settling in, she felt the presence of someone standing over her and it forced her to look up. "We're ready to go now Rachel", said the man in the white doctors coat. Quinn placed a lingering kiss on the girls' temple and then they both stood up following the doctor towards the door. Once they reached the corridor Quinn released Rachel from her grasp and stood by the brunette girls' fathers and watched as Rachel and the doctor disappeared out of sight.

Usually Quinn Fabray enjoyed the solitude of silence. She often found that the silence of the school library helped her complete a multitude of school tasks in a matter of hours. She found that the silence of an empty church helped her to release her feelings of anger or frustration towards her parents. Hell even the silence of a cemetery brought some sort of peace for the young girl. But sitting in the silence of the hospital room brought nothing but worry and restlessness. Quinn couldn't stop thinking about Rachel as she sat by the girls' bed. She couldn't focus on anything for an extended period of time. The magazines were quickly flipped through and then tossed aside, the crosswords in the newspaper only added to Quinn's growing impatience.

It had been four hours since Rachel's biopsy and Leroy had put a rush on the results. Normally it would take a couple of days for the results to come through but after fierce persistence from the taller of the Berry men, they had been told they would have the results in a matter of hours. Rachel was sleeping off the effects of the injection she had been given during the biopsy and Quinn had been keeping vigil since her girlfriend had been brought up to the ward. Hiram had gone to the cafeteria to grab something to eat and Leroy had popped in and out between attending to patience. This left Quinn alone with the girlfriend, hoping that soon they would have answers.

The bed began to shift under the weight of the Rachel as she tossed and turned, stretching as she woke up from her partially drug induced sleep. Quinn leaned forward in her seat and grabbed a hold of the other girls' hand, squeezing it as she smiled lovingly up at the adorable brown eyes staring back at her. "Hey you" Quinn said as she brushed Rachel's bangs to the side so that they weren't obstructing her view of the beautiful face gazing back at her. Rachel smiled and hoarsely replied, "Hey". The intimate moment between the girls was interrupted by the arrival of Rachel's doctor who entered the room carrying a file in his hands. After politely greeting both teenagers, he took a seat on next to the opposite Quinn and Rachel.

"Okay Rachel, we got your test results back…", before he could continue, the brunette interrupted him, "Wait my Dad's aren't here yet", she said turning her attention from the doctor to Quinn who was preparing herself to make dash around the hospital to round up the missing Berry men. "Rachel I've already spoken to your fathers. They said you would probably want Quinn to be a part of this so they've asked me to talk to both you alone", he explained as she gazed back and forth between the two. Rachel nodded as she held on to Quinn's hand as tightly as she could. Sensing the girls clear discomfort, the blonde instinctively raised her other hand to cup Rachel's hand between the both of hers. Almost as if for extra security, but her eyes never left the doctor.

"It's bad isn't it", Rachel managed as she tried to choke back a sob. The doctor looked at her with eyes conveying the truth behind what Rachel had just said. Quinn watched the exchange between doctor and patient and knew in heart of hearts, that she was about to hearing something that was going to seriously affect, not only Rachel, but herself, and that thought alone scared her. Glancing down at the file the doctor was silent for a moment, before looking back up at Rachel with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry Rachel, but the tests showed that you have stage II Hodgkin's Lymphoma".

In that moment, Rachel felt her whole world shatter to pieces around her. _Cancer_ she thought. It was like her mind had erased all other sense of thought and was stuck on that one word. In that moment, Rachel just wanted to get up and run and never look back, until she felt the bed dip beside her and the warmth of arms wrapping around her and pulling her into a tight embrace. Rachel buried her face into Quinn's as she broke down in heart wrenching tears. The action causing Quinn to shift her hand up and held Rachel's face in the palm of her hand as she pressed her cheek against the tip of the girls head, drowning in her own tears for the woman she loved. The perfect little bubble they had been living in, had just been burst by the harsh realities of life.


	3. Coming Soon

Coming soon…..Very, very, VERY Soon!

An update that has been long overdue! If you don't want any hints of what's to come, stop reading right now!

Spoilers:

Rachel begins treatment but suffers from a serious case of denial, putting herself in serious risk of further health complications.

Quinn struggles to deal with the reality of her girlfriend's condition and receives support from two unlikely sources.

Word spreads of Rachel's illness and the Glee clubbers band together to pledge their support to their friends.

Rachel finds an alley in someone she never thought she would, someone who awakens her to a harsh reality, but ultimately turns out to be a true friend.

Quinn finds herself on the receiving end of a fellow McKinley High students advances which cause her to make a life altering decision that will seriously impact her relationship with Rachel.

Stick around… updates will be happening more frequently very soon.


	4. Chapter 3 Part I

**I'm back! Okay sorry it's been so long, got caught up in the whole college thing. Anyways here is part 1 of the latest chapter. The spoilers I posted previously are all part of one chapter but I'll probably be posting it in 2 or maybe more parts depending on how much time I have. Again thank you all so much for the reviews. I really do appreciate it. I hope you enjoy. **

_2 Weeks Later..._

Session number three, Rachel was officially on her third session of her first round of chemo. It had been two weeks since the diagnosis confirmed Quinn's worst fears and everything from that point on had pretty much moved at the speed of light for both girls. They barely had time to allow the news of the disease to sink in when Rachel was being administered as an inpatient and being taken down to surgery to have a central venous catheter placed in her chest.

The brunette's fear of needles ruled out a simple IV needle hook up at every session so Rachel's father had insisted on this method, much to Quinn's discomfort. The older girl was having a hard enough time dealing with the diagnosis; she didn't like the idea of doctors sticking tubes in her girlfriend's chest, especially if it was going to act as a daily reminder of what was to come for both girls. It just seemed like everything was happening too fast and there was barely any time for them to just breathe. They were high school kids; they should be looking forward to prom and graduating, not wondering whether or not one of them was going to live to grow old.

Quinn had been there by Rachel's beside when the girl broke down in tears after catching a glimpse of the catheter for the first time. She had climbed onto the bed and lay down, wrapping her strong arms around the smaller girl, careful not to apply pressure or tug on the catheter for fear of hurting the woman she loved. All she wanted to do was take Rachel's mind off of everything, even just for a moment. But the reality of the situation becoming more and more real with every word out of a doctor's mouth and every sympathetic look Rachel received from the nurses.

The first day of chemo had taken place on a Thursday, both of Rachel's fathers were there for their baby girl, but what really mattered most to Rachel, was the fact that Quinn had ditched school to be there for her. To hold her hand and feed her ice chips, even tossing aside her perfect attendance record just for her. That meant more to Rachel than anything, that _the _Quinn Fabray, her girlfriend, the girl she loved and who loved her, was by her side during the scariest time of her life. It made her heart soar to know that the blonde girl cared so much for her.

That first session had passed relatively easily for Rachel, there was slight nausea a couple of hours afterwards when she first arrived home, which Quinn and her fathers had helped to ease with ginger ale and a dose of Funny Girl. However the doctors weren't lying when they said that the side effects would get worse with the passing of each session. It steadily got worse and Rachel was doing her best to keep a brave face. The sessions were tough, but it was when she got home that she truly felt the force of the drugs on her system.

The sight of Rachel hunched over the toilet bowl barely able to hold her head up broke Quinn's heart. It was in that moment she made the decision to move in with the Berry's. Her parents were furious, they threatened to cut her off if she continued what they called an abomination of a relationship with Rachel. Not even Quinn's revelation that her girlfriend had cancer was enough to soften her parents and make them reconsider their threats. It was then Quinn realised that these people were not her family, they were strangers who just happened to raise her for the last eighteen years. Rachel, they Berry men, the Glee club, they were her family.

That night Quinn packed up everything that mattered or that meant anything to her and put all her belongings in her car and drove to the Berry house. After explaining everything to Leroy and Hiram and discussing her intentions to be there for their daughter, they easily agreed to allowing Quinn to move in and welcomed her to the family. Rachel was upset with how heartless her girlfriends parents had been, but she couldn't deny how happy she was to know that whenever she needed Quinn to wrap her up in her arms and comfort her, she was just across the hall. This gave Quinn all the reassurance she needed to know that she had made the right decision. She had been living there for the past week unbeknownst to the rest of the Glee club.

Scrunching her nose and squeezing her eyes shut, Rachel allowed the nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach to wash over her and pass through as she dug her nails into the arm rests of the large, oversized chair she was sitting in. So far she had been sick twice and she had only begun the session twenty minutes ago. Hiram was sitting in the chair next to her and noticed his daughter's discomfort. Picking up the face cloth, he soaked it in the water bowl next to Rachel's station and then twisted it, removing the excess water before folding it into a small rectangle and bringing it up to Rachel's forehead, the cooling sensation causing her to relax somewhat. Just as she was settling back into the comfy chair, the noise of the double doors across the room opening made her look up in anticipation, and she wasn't disappointed.

Stepping through the door Rachel allowed a weak smile to spread across her pale face at the sight of her stunning blonde girlfriend entering the room. Before Quinn noticed where Rachel was sitting, the brunette could see what she thought looked like anger or frustration in those hazel eyes she loved so much, but the look soon dissipated when the blonde girls gaze finally fell upon her and the look was replaced with one of love and happiness, backed up by a beaming smile that could light a room.

Walking briskly across the room, Quinn came to a stop just in front of where Rachel was sitting. Leaning down, she cupped her girlfriends face in the palm of her hands and placed a soft chaste kiss on those lips she loved so much and then pulled back looking into brown eyes that made her heart beat just that little bit faster. "Hey baby. I missed you today," Quinn said as she removed one hand from Rachel's cheek and grabbed a hold of her hand, giving it a squeeze. Hiram took Quinn's arrival as his opportunity to go and grab a coffee. Standing up, he placed his hand on the older girls shoulder and gestured for her to sit down in the seat he had just vacated before leaving the room.

Taking up her place in the plastic chair, Quinn glanced around at the other patients in the room. There were six chemo chairs in total in the room and all three were always in use every time Rachel was there. However the sight always saddened Quinn whenever she looked around because every time she did, she realised that Rachel had no one her own age there to relate to. What made the whole thing that much worse, was the look of experience on the other patients faces. A realisation that these were people who had lived full lives, had experienced as much of life as a person possibly could.

Then there was Rachel, the beautiful petite brunette who had stolen Quinn's heart, sitting next to her at seventeen years of age, still with so much to live for having barely lived at all, fighting for her right to grow old, to achieve her dreams. It wasn't fair and it pained Quinn more than she thought anything possibly could. All she wanted was to make all this better, to make Rachel better. But she couldn't and it killed her to know that there was nothing she could do to ease the little diva's pain, at least not anything practical.

Feeling the hand she was holding suddenly clench down on her own she looked up to see Rachel scrunching up her face as another wave of nausea took hold, the brunette tightened her lips into a thin line hoping to hold back the feeling that she was about to be sick. Although Quinn had been there the many previous times Rachel had in fact been sick, she still felt self-conscious and embarrassed about being sick in a room full of strangers, regardless of the fact they were in the same boat. So Rachel tried hard to fight down the overwhelming feeling in the pit of her stomach, but it was inevitable that she would eventually lose that fight and this was one of those times.

Seeing that familiar frown on her girlfriends face that indicated when the diva was about to be sick, Quinn stood up and grabbed the small bucket next to the chair they kept close by for situations like this, she handed it to Rachel and sat down on the arm of the chair and began rubbing soothing circles on the brunettes back as the nausea finally won and Rachel began to vomit, almost violently into the bucket that she was grasping in her hands.

"It's okay babe, you're almost done," Quinn soothed as she reached back and began dampening the face cloth and ringing it out. Once Rachel was finished she lay back against pillow that was propping her up and closed her eyes. Quinn folded the face cloth and lifted her girlfriends head, wrapping her arm around the back of it and holding the cold cloth to the brunettes sweat covered forehead. A groan escaped the back of Rachel's throat at the cool feeling of the cloth and Quinn's arm cradling her head.

"Is that better baby?" the blonde asked as she began dabbing the cloth along Rachel's cheeks and down her neck. The only response she got was a weak nod of the head from the tired brunette who was struggling to stay awake. Realising this, Quinn put the cloth down and stood up. Reaching for the remote next to Rachel, she pressed the button that moved the seat the diva was sitting in into a reclining position so she could rest more easily. Once Rachel was resting more comfortably, Quinn put the remote down on the cabinet next to the water bowl and leaned down next to her girlfriend, she picked up the bucket and placed it back down next to the chair, she took the blanket hanging on the arm of the chair and unfolded it, draping it over the sleeping form before her and smoothing it out. Then, returning her attention to the love of her life, she cupped Rachel's cheek in the palm of her hand and placed a kiss to the other girl's forehead, unaware that both of them were being watched through the glass of the double doors.

Just as Quinn was about to sit down and get comfortable with a book, Hiram returned to keep vigil next to Rachel. Walking up to Quinn, he placed a comforting arm around her shoulder and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "So, you wanna tell me why you looked upset when you came in earlier?" he asked her with a knowing grin on his face. Quinn looked up at the tanned skin man and remembering her perceptive he was, knew that lying wouldn't fly with him. Releasing a sigh, Quinn scratched her forehead as she thought back to earlier when she arrived at the hospital.

When she arrived at the reception desk on the oncology floor to see Rachel, the nurse sitting at the station had refused to allow her in. Not even Quinn informing the nurse that she was her girlfriend would change the nurse's mind, the simple response being the usual 'family only policy'. The blonde girl had almost blown a fuse and retreated into HBIC mode until Leroy showed up and informed all the nurses at reception that Quinn was family and was to be treated as such. They had been overruled by the Chief of Medicine, much to Quinn's delight.

Although she had won the argument, Quinn couldn't stop the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach when she thought about the fact that this was likely to happen quite often whenever new doctors or nurses were brought into the equation. Leroy wouldn't always be there to rectify the situation and the idea of being refused permission to see her girlfriend was something was something she wasn't prepared to deal with on a regular basis. Quinn had an explosive temper, especially when she was on the defensive. There was no way she could handle a situation like that again, especially when she was barely holding it together as she was.

"It's nothing. One of the nurses tried to stop me coming in earlier 'cause I wasn't family. But it's okay, Leroy discussed the situation with them and they said it wouldn't happen again. I guess it just kind of threw me. I've never had anyone tell me I couldn't see Rachel," she said with a tear in her eye. Hiram looked down at the girl and nodded his head in understanding. He himself had been in a similar situation years ago when he and Leroy had first begun dating and Leroy had been admitted with appendicitis. The nurses had tried to tell him it was because he wasn't family, but Hiram knew it had more to do with the fact they were an openly gay couple. Typical conservative Lima, nothing ever seemed to change.

"Well next time don't even listen to them. You are a part of this family Quinn, a HUGE part of this family. And Rachel would want you here more than anyone else. Including Barbra, and that's saying a lot," he said with a soft chuckle. Quinn couldn't help but allow a smile to escape her at Hiram's statement. It warmed her to know that the Berry men considered her family. It meant a lot to her and she was grateful to them for being so supportive of her relationship with their daughter. She just wished everyone else was as supportive as well.

"Why don't you go grab a coffee or something while she's resting, I'll watch over," Hiram said. Glancing at the sleeping form of her girlfriend, Quinn nodded her and made her way towards the double doors. Once outside she stood against the wall and leaned her head back glancing upwards towards the ceiling. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and let it out, trying to release some of the tension she had been holding onto since her encounter with the nurse earlier. Just as she felt herself beginning to calm down the mood was broken by the sound of an all too familiar voice.

"Well, looks like you gots some explainin' to do Tubbers." Stiffening at the statement, Quinn turned her body towards the other person in the hallway and came face to face with Santana Lopez. Dressed in her candy stripers uniform, the Latina stood with her arms crossed over her chest, but something was off with her tough girl exterior. Quinn could see it in Santana's eyes, instead of the usual ice cold glare that they possessed, Quinn could see compassion. The look may only be slight, but it was there and she knew in that moment that Santana was now aware of the secret that she and Rachel had been trying so hard to keep until the diva was ready to open up.

"Santana now's not the time," Quinn started but was cut off when her best friend raised her hand to stop her from talking. "Oh, I think now is the perfect time," Santana said as she took a step closer to the blonde. "You think we haven't noticed the fact that Berry's been missing the last two weeks? Or the way you keep skipping out on school and Glee club with no explanation." Santana glanced towards the double doors of the chemotherapy room and swallowed around the lump forming in her throat as she thought of Rachel on the other side of that door.

"What kind?" she asked when she finally turned back towards Quinn, the blonde girl looked at her and was fighting the urge to let her tears fall. Seeing the sincerity in the Latina's eyes, Quinn relented and moved towards the windowsill to sit down, followed closely by Santana. "Hodgkin's Lymphoma, stage II," Quinn finally answered almost in a whisper. "She was diagnosed two weeks ago, that's why she hasn't been in school or at Glee club. The reason I didn't tell you is because she doesn't want anyone to know yet. At least not until she's settled down, the last couple weeks have been kinda crazy."

Santana nodded her head at Quinn's explanation, relieved to finally understand what exactly was going on. But she couldn't help the heavy weight that had suddenly anchored itself in the girl's chest at the thought of Rachel fighting cancer. Although she and Rachel had never been best friends, they had grown closer in the last couple of months and she liked to think that they were on friendlier terms now. Santana could only imagine how much this was hurting Quinn.

"How are you dealin' with all this?" she asked looking at the blonde whose head was directed downwards as she stared at her fidgeting hands. Quinn raised her head back up and wiped away a stray tear that had fallen from her eye. "Honestly?" she asked looking at the Latina who nodded her head at the question. "I'm not. I put on this brave face for Rachel because I know that's what she needs. She needs me to be strong for her, for the both of us," Quinn trails off as her eyes focus on the double doors in front of her and instantly her head goes straight to the image of Rachel looking pale and weak sitting in the oversized chair, an IV line attached to the catheter in her chest.

"But every time I look at her, at what she's going through, it terrifies me. All the what if's floating through my mind about whether or not we'll have a chance at a future together," Quinn's voice cracks as she speaks and Santana can't help but place a comforting hand on her back and rub soothing circles to try and ease the girls pain. "I know the doctors say she has every chance of beating this, but I just, the not knowing is eating me up. I love her so much and I don't want live my life if she's not here to share with me. I can't do it. I just can't…..," Quinn's voice trails off as she finally gives in to the tears she has been bottling up for weeks.

In that moment Santana's heat breaks for her best friend as the blonde girl falls into her arms, a broken mess. Wrapping her arms tightly around Quinn Santana silently vows to herself that she will be there for her friend from now on. That she will help Quinn hold it together when she feels like falling apart. Rachel need's her girlfriend to be strong for her and the Latina was going to make damn sure that the diva had that support. And the included being there for Rachel herself, whenever the diva felt ready to let people in. "It's okay Q. I got you…and Berry."

**So there it is. I'm not completely happy with it, it turned out differently writing it than what I had originally imagined in my head, but I guess that's just the joys of writing. I apologise for any typos or spelling errors. It's pretty early in the morning my brain is still half asleep. Anyways hope you enjoyed it and please review. I'd love to hear what you think. Also just for future reference, I've decided that this story is currently taking place in the latter stages of Senior Year so many of the Glee clubbers will be graduating soon. Question is, how will Rachel's illness affect her and Quinn's future plans? It's all a big mystery! Stick around folks, I've got five months off and nothing but time on my hands. See you next time.**


	5. Chapter 3 Part II

**Here it is part 2. Longest chapter so far. So this is definitely going to be a three part chapter. Anyways here's the latest chapter I hope you all like. I would just like to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who added this story to their story alerts and their favourites. I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy!**

Heaving a sigh as she walked down the crowded hallway of McKinley High, it was obvious to anyone who noticed her that Quinn's mind was obviously elsewhere. Actually, it was at home on the couch snuggled up with Rachel who was going through the usual motions of after chemo rest and relaxation. Unfortunately for Quinn, the Berry men had made it clear that she was to continue with her studies and leave caring for Rachel to them until. At least until the evening time when school was out and her homework was done.

Under normal circumstances and if Quinn were still living at home with her own parents, she would have argued to death with them that school didn't matter, she just wanted to be with her girlfriend. But these weren't normal circumstances, she wasn't living at home with her parents, she was living under the roof owned by the Berry men, two men who had welcomed her into their home with open arms and who had been so supportive of her and Rachel from the beginning. She owed it to them to at least adhere to some of their rules, even if it meant being away from the sick diva for a few hours during the day.

Finally making it to her locker on auto pilot, Quinn put in the combination and tried desperately to clear her mind momentarily so she could remember what classes she had in the morning and what books she needed. As she opened the locker door, the first thing that caught her eye was the picture of Rachel performing on stage at Regionals last year. Quinn said it was her favourite picture because nothing made her smile more than seeing the girl she loved doing what she loves to do more than anything in the world. The comment made Rachel blush. The next day Quinn saw a picture of herself dancing in her girlfriend's locker, the gesture made Quinn smile.

Just as she was transferring the books from her book bag to her locker, she felt the presence of someone walk up and stand next to her. Turning her head away from what she was doing she glanced to her left to see the new girl Shannon Peterson, a Cheerio and a fellow senior staring at her with a flirtatious grin. Shannon also happened to be the most openly bi-curious girl at McKinley. Not even Brittany was in the same league. Although most people were positive Brittany wasn't exactly sure what she was, but at least she was happy and she made Santana happy which was a positive for everyone else. Because everyone knew that a happy Santana made for a peaceful Glee club.

"Can I help you?" Quinn asked as she turned her body to face the brunette standing next to her. There was no denying that Shannon was pretty. In fact she was one of the prettiest girls at McKinley. She was tall with long brown hair and bore a striking resemblance to Megan Fox. And from the way she was looking at Quinn, she clearly wanted something more than friendship. Which didn't go unnoticed by the blonde, who was beginning to grow uncomfortable under the intense gaze that was being directed at her.

"Maybe. Word around school is that you and that little midget girlfriend of yours are on the splits. I was thinking you and me could, oh I dunno, get to know each other a little better," Shannon said in a low husky voice as she moved into Quinn's personal space. The blonde's eyes narrowed at the blatant attempt by the new girl to get her into bed. But what was more disturbing to her, were these rumours circulating around school about her relationship with Rachel.

"What the hell would you know? My relationship with Rachel is my private business and I'd appreciate it, if you and the rest of the student body would butt out!" Quinn snapped as she slammed her locker shut and stormed down the hallway away from the Cheerio. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks at the thought of people digging into her personal like. The last thing Quinn wanted was for Rachel's secret to be exposed before the little diva was ready to talk. Just as she made it to the end of the corridor she heard Shannon call out.

"If you think I'm going to give up that easy you are so wrong. There ain't no way I'm losing a hot piece of action like you to some freaky little show tunes singing weirdo. You're mine Fabray," the Cheerio called out with a wicked smirk on her face, before she turned and headed for the gym en route to cheerleading practice. Quinn couldn't stop herself from fuming at how Shannon had ridiculed her relationship with Rachel. But there was another part of Quinn, a small miniscule part of her that was slightly turned on by the whole thing.

Quinn wasn't sure what it was exactly, maybe it was Shannon's dominance, but although she hated to admit it, she liked that someone was willing to fight her. She'd never had someone fight for, not Finn, not Puck, even Sam gave eventually. She had to admit it was mildly flattering. But any chance of anything happening between the two of them was quickly diminished when Quinn thought of Rachel and suddenly it was like a rush of blood to the chest. Like her heart just started beating for the first time. When she thought of those beautiful chocolate brown eyes, those luscious pink lips and those adorable dimples whenever her girl smiled, it was like she felt this overwhelming feeling of love take over.

There had been many instances in Quinn's life when she had felt love. But the love she felt for Rachel was different, it was better, stronger. It made her feel content for the first time in her life. She just wished that they weren't going through this struggle right at that point and time. Not when they had so much to look forward to. It just seemed so unfair and Quinn couldn't help but feel she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. As selfish as it may have sounded she just wished that for one minute she could find a momentary release of the stress she was feeling.

But she didn't know how she could do that without it looking or feeling like she was abandoning Rachel in her time of need. Quinn may have been her girlfriend, but really she was just an outsider looking in. Rachel was the one dealing with the disease, the one struggling through chemo to live, the one fighting for the chance to wake up for just one more day. And here was Quinn feeling sorry for herself. _Pathetic_, she thought as she continued down the corridor. Just as she rounded the corner she came face to face with Santana, no doubt on her way to Cheerio's practice.

"H-hey San," Quinn said a little more awkwardly than she had intended. She didn't mean for it to come out with a stutter, she just felt exposed after breaking down in the Latina's arms the previous day after pretty much laying herself bare for anyone to see. Noticing that the brunette was oddly enough without her other half, Quinn frowned. "Where's Britt?" she asked glancing around. Santana placed her hands in her Letterman jacket and smiled weakly at her friend.

"I told her Coach Sylvester was using ducks in the new routine and she pretty much made like Forrest Gump and ran to the gym," Santana said with a soft chuckle as she remember the cuteness of her lady lover. "I kinda wanted to check up on you and didn't think you'd appreciate me blabbing in front of Britts. Although I have to say, it sucks keeping secrets from her. So how you doin' since or talk yesterday anyways?" she asked as she gently nudged Quinn with the side of her elbow. The blonde smiled at the motion.

"I'm uh, I'm okay. Kinda relieved actually that I don't have to keep this big secret to myself anymore," Quinn said as she gazed down at her hands that she was unconsciously fidgeting with. Crossing her arms over her chest she ran her hand over the cross that hung from her neck and had done since she was twelve years old. Only now the cross was accompanied by a Star of David. What could be more appropriate to honour her girlfriend than to combine Rachel's Jewish faith with her love of star's. Santana nodded her head and just as she was about to speak, a familiar look figure began making its way down the hall before coming to a halt at the lockers.

"Um, Q, somehow I don't think it's gonna be a secret much longer," Santana said. When Quinn began to frown at what she was saying the Latina pointed over Quinn's shoulder down the hallway. Turning around the blonde was taken aback. Standing at the lockers was Rachel. Finally gathering her composure, Quinn took off back down to the lockers followed closely behind by her best friend. As they got closer to the little diva, Santana became painfully aware of just how ill the Rachel was.

The girl had always been tiny, but now she was alarmingly underweight. The sixties inspired beige dress she wore was literally hanging off her and her once bronze complexion was a frighteningly pale white. If this was what the girl looked like after three chemo sessions, Santana couldn't bear to think what effect the drugs would have on the diva's body long term. Once she and Quinn finally reached the lockers, the blonde fell into step right next to Rachel's locker and placed a tender hand on her girlfriend's lower back.

"Rach, babe what are you doing her, you're supposed to be at home resting," Quinn spoke softly as glanced around to make sure none of the student body present could hear them. Santana noticed a couple of sophomore's staring at Rachel for just a little too long and pointed one of her infamous death glare's at them as a silent warning to look away, which they did quite rapidly. Rachel turned to face Quinn and noticed Santana standing next to her. She gave the Cheerio a weak smile before returning her focus to the blonde gazing down at her.

"I figured that Santana is now aware of my, condition, that maybe it would be for the best if the reminder of the Glee club was informed before….," Rachel trailed off as she noticed some snide looking Cheerio's walking past. Lowering her voice she continued, "before it becomes public knowledge. The Glee club is my family. I don't want them finding out second hand. It wouldn't be right," she finished, glancing back and forth between her girlfriend and her kind of friend with a watery look. Quinn looked at Santana with a forlorn look on her face before turning back to the shorter brunette.

"Rach, I know you wanna tell the Glee club, but you can't be here. You're immune system is weak, you could pick up all kinds of bacteria or infections here," Quinn said, the worry she felt laced through every single word. Santana nodded her head, knowing that a school was like a breathing ground for viruses. Just last year a case of mono almost took out all of McKinley in one foul sweep. Rachel looked slightly annoyed by what she was hearing.

"Quinn I'll be fine. My immune system has always been impeccable. A couple of hours at school is not going to harm me," Rachel said matter of factly as she flicked her brown hair over her shoulder and removed her gold star covered folder from her locker. Quinn sighed, sensing that her girlfriend had just been hit with a serious dose of denial. "Yeah but Rach, with the chemo and everything else, it's not as strong is it usually is. I just think that maybe yo….." the blonde was cut off by Rachel waving her hand in front of Quinn's face to stop her from speaking.

"Sweetie I appreciate your concern but I'm fine," Rachel tried to smile but faltered when she broke into a coughing fit. Quinn and Santana stared at the diva wide eyed. So much for being fine. Rubbing a hand up and down diva's back, Quinn shared a concerned look with Santana. "Rach, please, let me take you home," the blonde said trying not to sound desperate. Rachel just shook her head and removed a water bottle from her locker and took a large gulp before placing it back inside. "Quinn I'm fine," she snapped, "I'm going to the auditorium to work on some songs I think would be perfect for National's. I'll see you both at Glee."

And with that Rachel slammed her locker shut and stormed off toward the auditorium, leaving behind a concerned Quinn and Santana. Sinking back against the lockers, Quinn let out a groan as she knocked her head off the cold metal behind her. Fearing her friend may develop a concussion; Santana intervened and stopped Quinn's head motions by cupping her hand behind the blondes head. Once Quinn had settled herself down, the Latina stood next to her, her side pressed up against the wall just where the row lockers ended.

"So what are we goin' to do about that?" Santana asked as she adjusted the gym bag across her body. Quinn just shrugged her shoulders and glanced in the direction Rachel had stormed down just moments ago, although it didn't go unnoticed to her the way in which her friend included herself in the question. She really was grateful to have Santana's support. "There's nothing we can do. You know how stubborn Rachel can be, if we argue with her she'll only get worked up and the last thing she needs is to be stressed out. We just need to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't overdo it. We also need to make sure the jocks or Cheerios' don't get any ideas."

Santana nodded at everything her former captain said to her and made a mental note to throw her weight around about the slushing rules. Just as the Latina was about to leave for cheer practice Quinn called out to her. "Hey San, what's the deal with that new girl Shannon Peterson?" she asked. Santana rolled her eyes at the girls name. "Yeah I meant to talk to you about that but it seemed kinda seemed redundant with everything else you got goin' on. Anyways to cut a long story short, rumours started goin' round that you and Berry were on the splits and Peterson has her whorish eyes locked firmly on you. Don't worry, me and Britt's have been tellin' her what's what."

Quinn huffed a laugh and when she saw the confused look on Santana's face she explained. "You efforts may have been in vain. She pretty much threw herself at me when I was at my locker and told me that she was gonna make me hers regardless," Quinn said. Santana squared her shoulders, tensing them as she began to fume. "Oh Imma go all Lima Heights on her skinny white ass. If she even thinks about Taylor Swiftin' you and Rachel she's gonna wish she'd never been born," the Latina screamed as she turned to chase down her fellow Cheerio. "San, don't," the blonde said and Santana stopped her walking and twirled around. "You getting your Lara Croft on will only get you in trouble and you can't afford to be suspended. Not in your senior year. I appreciate you looking out for me and Rach but trust, Shannon will get bored eventually. Promise me you'll leave this alone."

Seeing the look in Quinn's eyes, Santana dropped her shoulders and relented. "Okay fine, but if she keeps it up I'm making run suicides till her lady parts drop off," she said with a pointed look of mischief. Quinn laughed. "Okay. Thanks San." With one last shared look the Latina walked off to the gym while Quinn headed for class. The one thing she missed about being a Cheerio, the privilege of being excused from class to practice when cheer comps were coming up. Strutting off to class she cradled her books to her chest and walked into her AP English Lit class and took her usual seat. Glancing at the clock she prayed for lunch to come around quickly so she could get to Glee, but more importantly to Rachel.

The bell rang and the Glee clubbers streamed into the choir room, the usual noise of aimless chatter filling the room as one by one they took a seat. Quinn walked in and took a seat on the second tier next to Kurt and Blaine followed closely by Santana and Brittany who, as usual, were linked by their pinkie fingers. The two Cheerios' took up residence in the vacant seat on the last tier behind Quinn, whose head was in a book as she waited patiently for what was inevitably going to happen. The chatter around her died down as Mr. Shue walked out of his office, a solemn look across his face as Rachel exited behind him, looking nervous and like she wanted to cry. In that moment Quinn wanted to get up and comfort her girlfriend but knew that the brunette needed to do this.

"Well look who decided to show after bailin' on us for two weeks. You just can't give up a solo can you" Mercedes said rather bitterly. Two weeks without a single text message from someone who was supposed to be her friend had left her feeling a little sore. Mr. Shue shook his head "Okay that's enough. Rachel and I had a discussion in my office and she has explained to me why she hasn't been around lately. Now as her friends and fellow teammates I think you owe it to her to let her explain herself to you guys. Rachel," Mr. Shuester gestured for her to take the floor and she slowly centred herself in front of the group.

"I know you're all aware that I haven't been present in school or at Glee club these past few weeks and I apologise for that. I know it's exceptionally bad timing what with Nationals just a matter of weeks away but I assure you it was not without good reason," Rachel said as she gingerly looked up at her fellow Glee Clubbers, half afraid there were going to assault her with verbal attacks for being a diva. Instead she saw fifteen faces staring back at her and listening intently. When she refused to look at Quinn, knowing that if she did, she would break down, and she couldn't do that. Not now.

"The reason I have been A.W.O.L is because I have been undergoing treatment at Lima General," she said and he could see the confusion written across her friends faces. Kurt was the first to speak "Treatment. Treatment for what?" he asked almost afraid to ask. Rachel glanced down at her hands and tried to still her breathing. A tear fell from her eye and she looked back up. "For c-cancer," she finally managed, her breath hitching in her throat as she choked back a sob. A huge collective chorus of sighs and exasperated breaths sounded around the room. Santana held Brittany close as she explained to the confused blonde what that meant and wiped away a tear when it fell down the ditzy blondes cheek.

Kurt gripped Blaine's hand a look of disbelief on his face. Mercedes wiped away tears of guilt as Sam comforted her, softly whispering that she couldn't have known and Quinn, Quinn looked at her with watery supportive eyes, while inside her heart broke in two. Everyone knowing the truth just made the whole thing that much more real and she suddenly felt like she was suffocating. While all the other Glee clubbers stood up to hug the diva and offer her their support, Quinn took her chance and exited the room. Needing to escape everything, just for a little while, but this didn't go unnoticed by Santana who had been staring at her the entire time.

Sitting on the bleachers next to the football field, Quinn sat with her arms crossed over her knees as she looked out over the field as the Coach Beiste held trials for new blood to fill the football team once the seniors graduated. From what little Quinn actually knew about football from her time on the Cheerio's there was one thing she did know, those boys out on the field were hopeless. A gentle breeze blew past and Quinn closed her eyes and inhaled, clearing her mind of absolutely everything, feeling free and at peace.

"Fancy seeing you here," a voice husked behind her ear, sending shivers down Quinn's spine. Her eyes snapped open and she turned her head quickly to find Shannon Peterson standing over her. The Cheerio stepped over the bench and sat down next to Quinn, pressing herself up as close to the blonde as possible. Quinn felt uncomfortable having someone who wasn't Rachel sitting close to her so intimately, but she didn't want to just jump up and run and give the other girl the satisfaction of chasing her down and continuing her little game. It was obvious Shannon enjoyed the chase.

"Look I don't know who you think you are but I'm with Rachel and I'm not going to screw up my relationship with her for some cheap slut like you," Quinn said with as much ferocity as she could muster up. However her efforts seemed to be in vain. Shannon laughed and threw her head back as she almost rolled around comically at what Quinn had said. Leaning in closer, she stopped when she was within inches of the blonde's face. She licked her lips as she looked Quinn over, as if to memorise her face.

"You really think you have a future with that little freak? You two will never last and you know why? Because you're out of her league. She's a nobody. Now me on the other hand, I could give you everything you've ever wanted," Shannon said as she leaned in closer, and closer until Quinn could feel her breath on her. And that was Shannon went in for the kill, as she went in to kiss the blonde, Quinn froze. Her whole body seized and her mind did what could only be described as a flash forward. Quinn could see her future before her eyes. The images were jumbled, Quinn at college, Quinn at work, Quinn laughing with friends, Quinn snuggled up on the couch with what looked to be a family of her own.

But what was significant in all those images, was that right there, by her side, was Rachel. At her college graduation, Rachel is there cheering her on. When she lands her first film role, Rachel is the first one to congratulate her with a hug and a kiss. Walking down the red carpet of her first film premier, Rachel is stood right next to her squeezing her hand and supporting her. When she sees herself standing at the alter on her wedding day, the person standing next to her is Rachel. And when she imagines having children, she sees a little girl with brown hair and the most amazing brown eyes staring back at her as Quinn holds her close to her while Rachel watched on.

Then Quinn snaps back to reality and just as Shannon's lips are about to touch hers, she jumps up from where she was sitting and grabs her. "You're wrong. You will never be anything to me. Rachel is my future and if you can't accept that tough shit. But I will never ruin what I have with her for you," Quinn says, her tone low and threatening. As she storms off down the steps, she sees Santana and Brittany smiling brightly at her. The Latina applauds as Quinn comes to a stop just in front of where they're standing.

"See San I told you Q would never cheat on Rachie. She's Q's unicorn, she's special, right Q?" Brittany said as she smiled at the other blonde. "Right Britt," Quinn replied with a chuckle. Santana gave Quinn and lopsided smile "I'm proud of you Q. But if you ever tell anyone I said that I will ends you. Got me?" she said. "Yeah I got you," Quinn answered with a small smile of her own. Just then Santana stepped forward and cupped her hands around her mouth, glaring at a dejected looking Shannon. "Hey Skank, I hope you enjoy suicides coz you gonna be runnin' em like it ain't nobody's business till Summer. You got me?" Santana shouted.

The Unholy Trinity stood united as they laughed when Shannon stomped off in a huff. It felt just like old times. There little moment was broken by the sight of Blaine running towards them. "Quinn you've gotta come now it's Rachel she's in pretty bad way," he said with what little breath he had. Quinn's smile dropped and her face paled as she faced her friend. "What, where is she?" she asked as she followed Blaine back towards the school. Blaine glanced over his shoulder at her couldn't help but feel sorry for her as she trailed after him, followed closely by Santana and Brittany. "Kurt and Mercedes are with her in the girls bathroom next to the choir room," he explained as they dashed into the hallway off the school.

Rounding the corner, Quinn bolted past Blaine and ran to the bathroom and once she reached the door she burst through it, startling Kurt and Mercedes. "Oh my God," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Rachel was hunched over the sink coughing up blood. Upon hearing the sound of her girlfriends voice, Rachel stood up straight once she managed to stop coughing. When she turned to face the blonde she was immediately engulfed in Quinn's arms. Taking a step back Quinn cupped Rachel's face as the brunette brought a hand to her chin to catch the blood that was still coming out of her mouth.

"It's okay, you're gonna be okay," Quinn managed to get out around the lump in her throat. Her girlfriend was coughing up blood, it was smeared across the diva's mouth and chin and was pooling in the hand that Rachel was using to stop it from dripping. "Quinn, I c-ca, I c-can't br-breath," Rachel choked out before turning to hunch over the sink once more as another coughing fit took over and more blood splatter against the once white basin. Quinn placed a hand on Rachel's back and turned to her friends. "I need to get her to a hospital. Blaine can you carry Rachel to my car?" she asked.

Before Blaine could respond, he was interrupted by Puck who came barging into the bathroom. "I got her. If anyone's gonna carry my little Jewish Princess it's gonna be me," he said as he gently lifted Rachel into his strong arms, her head sitting snugly under his chin. "Where to?" he asked looking to Quinn. The blonde shook the keys of her car in front of him and with no further instructions he hightailed it out of the bathroom towards the parking lot. Once Puck had placed Rachel in the backseat, he hopped in next to her.

"No way am I leaving her till I know she's okay," he said as Quinn stared at him questioningly. Her expression softened at his words and she smiled before sticking the key in the ignition and speeding out of the car park and heading for Lima General. She passed her phone back to puck and told him to call Leroy and let him know they were on the way. Then he called Hiram to tell him of Rachel's situation. By the time he was finished calling Rachel's fathers they were at the hospital. Puck jumped out and picked up Rachel and carried her inside while Quinn moved the car out of the of the way of the emergency exit. The brunette had been whisked away by the time she finally made it inside the hospital where Puck was left standing alone.

An hour had passed and Quinn, Hiram, Puck, Santana and Brittany were sitting in the family waiting room. _What's taking so long?_ Quinn thought as she sat hunched over here knees, holding her cross and the star to her lips as she silently prayed that Rachel was alright. Santana was sitting next to her rubbing circles on her back, while Puck sat the other side with his head leaning back against the wall behind him. Hiram paced the floor wringing his hands glancing at the clock every couple of minutes. They were all brought out of their thoughts when Leroy walked into the room, clutching his stethoscope between his hands. The second his foot was in the door he was ambushed. Before he was bombarded with questions he raised both his hands.

"She's fine. Well as fine as can be expected under the circumstances," he said glancing around at everyone. There was a collective sigh of relief and when Hiram was able to steady his racing heart he spoke. "What happened, what's wrong with her?" he asked. Leroy gestured for them all to sit down and he cleared his throat. "Rachel picked up a lung infection. Don't panic, these things are quite common in patients with Rachel's condition. However due to her weakened immune system, infections are much more likely to occur, meaning she needs to away from overpopulated places or from people who are unwell," he explained.

"Normally when someone picks up a lung infection we'll keep them in for a day or two for observation and then prescribe them antibiotics. But in Rachel's case we're going to have to keep her in the hospital indefinitely. At least until we're sure the infection is gone and while she's carrying on her current round of chemo," he finished as he looked at Quinn and Leroy. Quinn wiped away a tear stood up. "Can I see her?" she asked. Leroy looked at Hiram who nodded his head and then he stood up to face Quinn. He placed a hand on her shoulder "Sure but only you. She needs to be as isolated as possible to prevent the risk of further infection," Leroy said shooting a pointed look at the other three Glee clubbers who all nodded their heads in understanding.

Quinn followed Leroy down the corridor to Rachel's room, keeping a few steps behind the man at all times. When he stopped outside Rachel's room, he nodded at Quinn and motioned for her to go on in before leaving to carry on with the rest of his shift. Walking in to the room, a tear fell down the blondes cheek at the sight of the brunette propped up by numerous pillows, her tiny frame sinking into the large hospital bed, hook up to a variety of machines and an oxygen mask practically covering the divas face.

"Q-Quinn," the muffled voice called out startling the blonde girl. Quinn had expected Rachel to be asleep. After snapping herself out of her daze, Quinn quickly walked around the bed and sat down on the hard plastic chair next to it. Once she was seated she pulled it as close to the bed as possible before reaching out and grabbing a hold of Rachel's hand. Leaning forward, she placed a long lingering kiss on the brunette's forehead and stroked a few strands of the divas bang out of the way. After trailing the back of her hand down Rachel's cheek, Quinn released a small content sigh.

"Hey you," she said as she placed a kiss to the hand she was cupping between her own. Rachel gave her girlfriend a tired smile as she brought her hand up to Quinn's face and weakly wiped away the tear stain marking the blonde's cheek. "I'm, I'm sorry," Rachel managed to get out between deep breaths as she sucked in the oxygen being fed to her through the mask. Quinn shook off the girls apology, knowing that something like this probably would have happened regardless of whether or not Rachel had been to school that day.

As she sat there, cradling her girlfriends hand between her own, nothing but the sound of beeping from the machines and the soft sound of the oxygen being pumped into the breathing mask surrounding them, Quinn's mind reflected on what had happened with Shannon, the fight on the bleachers and what she had said to the Cheerio. Then she thought about the images she'd had of her future and how they made her feel. In that moment, alone with Rachel, Quinn was overcome with a sense of courage. Courage to do something that could possibly change her life.

"Rach, today in school, after you told the Glee club about the cancer, I went out to the bleachers on the football field to think," Quinn said. Rachel straightened her head up a little straighter so she could listen to what her girlfriend was saying. "A girl from the Cheerio's, Shannon she tried to kiss me," Quinn said honestly. Rachel's eyes grew wide and she struggled as she tried to sit up. Seeing Rachel try to lift herself up, Quinn placed her hand against her girlfriends shoulder and gently nudged her back against the bed.

"No Rach, I stopped her. I stopped her because, because when she was leaning in to kiss me, I saw my future flash before my eyes," she explained and Rachel visibly relaxed with the blonde's admission that she stopped Shannon from kissing her. "I saw everything. I saw myself in college, I saw myself working on a movie," Quinn said with a chuckle as if the idea was completely ridiculous. "I saw myself on my wedding day with all my friends there and I saw my child hugging me as we stood in the park on a family day out," she said with a contented sigh. Rachel looked at her confused at where this was going.

"Rach, in everyone one of those images, I saw _YOU_, standing next to me. Rachel, I love. I love you more than anyone or anything in my life," Quinn said as she stood up and sat next to Rachel on the bed, holding the divas hand close to her chest. Reaching up, Quinn cupped the brunettes face in the palm of her hand. "Rachel, I wanna graduate from high school and I want to go to college. But, I want to go with you, as my wife," Quinn forced out around the lump in her throat as tears began to well up in her eyes.

Rachel looked at Quinn with tears streaming down her face, stunned at what she was hearing, scared, but at the same time, feeling more loved in that moment than she ever thought possible. "Q-Quinn," Rachel breathed out. Quinn smiled and pulled Rachel's hand up over her heart and smiled. "Rachel Berry, would you do the honour of taking my name, and being my wife?" she asked as she gently squeezed the brunettes hand. Rachel reached up her free hand and pulled the oxygen mask down from her mouth, a beaming smile on her face. "Y-yes! Of course I'll marry you," she responded. In that moment, Quinn burst with happiness and leaned down capturing Rachel's lips with her own, tears of happiness falling down both girls faces as they broke the kiss and Quinn wrapped Rachel in her arms.

Outside the hospital room, Hiram and Leroy Berry looked at each other, both speechless over what they had just overheard. Turning to face his husband Hiram placed a hand on his chest, and tapped it as if trying to kickstart his heartbeat again. "So, should we be happy about this?" he said as he looked at Leroy, who shrugged his shoulders in utter bewilderment.

**There it is. I hope you like it. Please review, I'd love to hear what you think and remember the more reviews I get the more motivated I am to update. See you soon!**


	6. Chapter 3 Part III

**Yay for quick updates ! So firstly I want to thank everyone who for adding this fic to their faves and story alerts and for amazing reviews. Like I said reviews motivate me to make quick updates. Anyways the reason this update is coming so quickly is because I realised that I won't be update again until possibly after Sunday as I have and exam and a 21****st**** birthday to attend. So I'm going to be busy with study and a hangover. Anyways hope you enjoy!**

A week had passed since Quinn had proposed and neither girl had said a word about it to anyone about the new development in their relationship. Rachel had wanted to shout it from the rooftops but Quinn wanted to wait until Rachel was released from in-patient care at the hospital before talking to Hiram and Leroy, saying that it was only fair that they were informed first and foremost. Rachel thought her fiancée was just being respectful and going about things in the appropriate manner, which was true, but really, Quinn didn't want to tell anyone until she had found the perfect engagement ring for the woman she loved.

Luckily for Quinn, she didn't have to worry about money. Once she had turned eighteen she had gained control of her trust fund, which was pretty substantial having come from a wealthy family, and there was nothing her parents could legally do to stop her from spending any of it. When she looked over her finances she realised that not only could she afford to pay for four years tuition at any of the top colleges in the country, but she could also afford to set aside a nice little nest egg for the future and buy Rachel a pretty engagement ring. One that she deserved.

Saturday morning Quinn had driven to Columbus with Santana and Brittany under the guise of going shopping and scoping out a rival show choir who they were due to compete against at Nationals. Knowing that her two friends were likely to get frisky while in the changing rooms of the local mall, Quinn took that as her opportunity to slip out and sneak away to the jewellers she had Googled the day before. After searching through their engagement rings for what felt like hours to find the perfect one, she finally found the one that she knew was Rachel in every way.

After picking up the ring, all three thousand dollars worth of it, and the two horny cheerleaders who had still been occupying the ladies changing rooms, Quinn drove home to the Berry house and stored the ring away in the bottom drawer of her desk in her room. Waiting patiently for the day she could slip it on the diva's ring finger and claim the brunette as hers to the world. Until then she would bask in the fact that the toughest part of actually proposing was done and more importantly Rachel had said yes.

So here she was on a Monday morning, standing in front of the mirror straightening out the invisible flaws in her favourite royal blue sundress which she paired with a yellow cardigan and flats. She tried to settle the butterflies that were wreaking havoc with her stomach as she ran over the speech she had prepared the night before about how she was going to inform Rachel's dads that she had proposed to their only daughter. In hindsight, she knew she should have asked their permission first, but she just couldn't wait. When she saw Rachel lying in that hospital bed she knew time was too valuable to waste, so she went with her heart rather than her head.

Turning away from the mirror, she picked up her backpack and headed out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen. When she entered she found Leroy sitting at the breakfast island in the middle of the kitchen reading the newspaper and nursing a cup of coffee while Hiram stood over the stove preparing some scrambled eggs and bacon. Leroy was the first one to notice her and smiled saying a simple 'good morning' as she sat down opposite him on the other side of the island. She smiled at both men and thanked Hiram as he placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her along with a fresh glass of orange juice. This was her moment, she had to talk to them now.

"Um, Leroy, Hiram," she said as she placed her fork down and watched as the two men turned their attention to the young girl. "I have something to tell you," she said with a crack of nervousness in her voice as she spoke. Leroy released a chuckle as he regarded the blonde. "Does this have anything to do with you proposing to our baby girl in the hospital last week?" he asked with a knowing smile which earned him a whack of a tea towel from Hiram for being so subtle about it. Quinn sat back in her chair, her mouth opening and closing in shock as she tried to find words to speak. "We overheard you ask when we were on our way to see Rachel," Hiram explained

"Are you mad?" Quinn finally asked when she found her voice again. The two Berry men looked at each other and then Hiram spoke up. "We're not mad. A little surprised that Rachel excepted a proposal that didn't include a ring, flowers, flying doves and a rendition of I Will Always Love You," Hiram said rather seriously, but Leroy just laughed at the truth that was actually to be found in those words. "We'll be honest Quinn, we're a little disappointed that you didn't ask our permission before you popped the question," Leroy said with a serious tone to his voice as he leaned his elbows on the marble top. Quinn nodded her head in understanding before bowing her head and staring at her lap, hating the feeling of disappoint she was feeling.

"But, we couldn't have wished for a better future daughter in-law if we tried," Hiram said softly. Quinn's head snapped up at what the taller of the two men had said. Looking back and forth between the two men for confirmation of their approval, a smile broke out across her face when she saw the two men positively beaming at her. Standing up she raced around the island and swung her arms around both men's shoulders hugging them tightly as she whispered her thanks. They hugged her back before pulling away, all three with watery eyes at the happy moment.

"Oh and about the ring, I have it covered. I picked it up Saturday in Columbus, and no, you can't see it. I want Rachel to be the first person to lay eyes on it," she said when she saw Hiram preparing to ask her about it. The two men smirked at the blonde's cuteness and then they went about preparing for the rest of their day. "So when do you plan on presenting this mystery ring to our daughter?" Hiram asked as Quinn sat down to actually eat her breakfast. She couldn't help but let out a moan at how good it felt to eat real bacon without Rachel making her feel guilty.

"Actually that's something I wanted to talk to you about," she said after swallowing the scrambled eggs she had been chewing on. Taking a sip of juice, she wiped her mouth in the napkin and swivelled on her stool to face the men. "With Rachel coming home today I was planning on re-proposing with the ring tonight by the oak tree in the back yard where we had our first kiss," she explained. She turned to face Leroy, the doctor of the family. "I know it's not the best idea to have her standing or sitting in the back yard on a chilly night with everything going on, but it would only be for a little bit until I could propose again," she asked hopefully.

Leroy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't the harm if it's only for a couple of minutes. So long as she's well bundled up she should be fine," he answered. Quinn let out a relieved sigh and then continued. "There's one other thing I hope you can help me with. Do you think you could hang up some fairy lights or something in the backyard? I just want it to be a little bit special for Rach and I know how much she loves the way they twinkle, like the stars," she finished. The two Berry men smiled at each other and then turned to Quinn. "Of course, we'll fix it right up."

It was four thirty in the evening when Rachel was finally home from the hospital, looking a little green around the gills from chemo, but at the same time happy to be home with her family and fiancée. Quinn was beaming, she'd missed having Rachel around the house. Although she had to admit, she wasn't looking forward to trying to snuggle with Rachel on her bed surrounded by the many new teddy's the guys from Glee club had gifted her when they were finally allowed visit the hospital. The girls had been more practical, bringing magazines, DVD's, an iPod. Santana and Brittany had even given her a mani-pedi. For some reason unknown to the female species, boys always thought teddy bears were the perfect gift in any situation, but as ridiculous as it was, Rachel greatly appreciated the thought.

It was eight o'clock and the family had just enjoyed a wonderful dinner, although Quinn had a feeling Rachel wouldn't be keeping it down for long. Leroy and Hiram cleared the dishes and loaded the dishwasher giving the blonde sitting comfortably on the couch with her diva, the signal that everything was ready to go. "Well as lovely as it is spending time with you girls, Leroy and I are going to retire to the Oscar room and indulge in a little after dinner tipple," Hiram said with an elegant flick of the wrist. Quinn and Rachel smiled at the two men and waved them off. Once they were out of sight Quinn leaped off the couch and dashed to the coat rack by the front door.

"Quinn, baby what are you doing," Rachel said through her laugh as she watched the girl return with coats and a scarf bundled in her arm. "We're going outside," Quinn said with a matter of fact tone to her voice. When Rachel eyed her curiously the blonde handed her one of the coats she was holding, "Well come on we don't have all night. I have a surprise for you," she said with a sly grin. "You get ready I have to go upstairs ad grab something," Quinn said as she took off for the stairs. Rachel didn't have time to protest before the blonde disappeared out of sight.

Sighing, she picked up the red pea coat that was obviously hers and fastened all the buttons. Eying the scarf, she debated whether or not to wear. It wasn't like it was freezing outside, summer was just around the corner. However she really didn't want a repeat of last week and Quinn would probably force her to wear it anyways so she relented and threw it round her neck, and tucked it into her coat. Just then, her other half came bouncing into the room with a smile plastered across her face as she picked up her own coat and put it on, making sure to fasten all the buttons before checking that Rachel was well wrapped up.

"Shall we?" she asked as she offered her arm to the brunette. Rachel shook her head in amusement at the chivalrous act and then looped her arm around Quinn's. When they walked out onto the back porch Rachel frowned in confusion. It was pitch black. They walked down onto the back lawn and after a couple more steps, Quinn stopped their movements and turned to face the little diva. "Wait right here," she said as she bounded back up to the porch and walked inside the door. Rachel was a little creeped out, standing in the dark by herself. But just at that moment hundreds of sparkling fairy lights lit up the sky above Rachel's head.

The brunette looked up in awe as the whole back yard suddenly came back into view. When she heard the sound of footsteps she lowered her head to find Quinn walking towards her with a nervous look on her face. "Do you like it?" she asked. Rachel looked around, her smile never faltering. "Like it, Quinn I love it. Thank you so much," she said and wrapped her arms around the blondes neck when she was finally standing next to her. Reaching up she connected her lips with the perfect pink lips of the woman she loved, putting her heart and soul into it and feeling Quinn reciprocate with everything she had.

When what little air Rachel had left in her lungs was finally knocked out of her she broke the kiss and rested her forehead against Quinn's chin, after taking a moment to catch their breath, Quinn cupped Rachel's face in her hands and kissed her on the nose. When she gazed down at her fiancée, she noticed the pained expression on the diva's face. "Rach, what's wrong? Talk to me," she said. Rachel bit on her bottom lip nervously and then looked up at Quinn tears rimming her brown eyes. The blonde frowned at the sight before her, concern evident in her worried looking gaze.

"Quinn, are you sure you want to marry? Like really sure?" Rachel finally asked. Quinn was shocked. Where was this coming from? She dropped her hands from Rachel's face and placed them on the girls upper arms giving them a comforting squeeze. "Of course I do," Quinn said with as much conviction as she could put into the simple statement. "Rach, where is this coming from? Are you having second thoughts? Do you not want to get married anymore?" she asked, her voice cracking with emotion at the thought of the diva saying yes.

"God, Quinn, of course I want to marry you. I want to marry you more than anything," Rachel said the tears finally spilling from her eyes as she spoke. She couldn't help but let them fall as the weight of what she was going to say became too much. Quinn could see the pain in Rachel's eyes and brought her hand up to the other girl's cheek to wipe away a tear. Then she lifted the girls face to look her in the eye to encourage her to continue.

"I just, I want you to be sure. I don't want you to do this because you feel obligated to. Because you feel like if I don't beat this we might never….," Rachel was cut off by two firm hands cupping her face and wiping away her tears. When she looked gazed up she saw two piercing hazel eyes staring back at her with a fire burning deep inside. "No, no listen to me. Rachel you are going to beat this. You are, and when you do you are going go and live out your dreams. Do you understand me," Quinn said with sharp steely tone of determination.

"Yeah but Quinn if….," again Rachel was stopped from continuing by. "Rachel look at me. I'm here. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. Whether we have one day, or the rest of our lives, I'm always going to be right here, standing by your side. I want to marry you Rachel. It's the only thing in my life I've ever been certain about and I want to live my future with you, however long that is," Quinn spoke softly, every word coming straight from her heart, bleeding out every last drop love and devotion she had to offer. Gazing into tearful hazel eyes Rachel could see the promise of tomorrow and it made her heart soar. "Okay," she replied and with that their lips connected in a searing kiss.

When Quinn finally found the willpower to break the kiss, she smiled. "Now there's something I've been wanting to do all day, well something other than kiss you senseless." Rachel laughed and watched as Quinn reached into her coat pocket. When she pulled her hand back out, the sight of a small velvet box made the diva's breath hitch in her throat as she brought her hands up to her mouth in shock. She watched as Quinn got down on bended knee and took her hand in her own.

"I know I've already proposed, and you've already said yes. But it wasn't exactly the most romantic proposals and you deserve the best. So this is a do over," Quinn said gesturing around her at the fairy lights. "Rachel, you're it for me. No matter what my future holds, there's one thing I know for certain, you are the person I want standing by my side," she smiled when Rachel wiped away a tear and smiled back. "You are my best friend, my soul mate, the love of my life. I want to be there to see all your dreams come true and I want to raise my future children with you. I want to wake up and go to sleep next to you every day for the rest of our lives."

"Will you make me the happiest woman in the world by doing me the honour of taking my name and being my wife?" Quinn asked as she opened the jewellery box to reveal the ring. Rachel's eyes almost bulged out of her head when she looked down at. Staring back at her was a one carat diamond set in a star shaped, diamond encrusted prong setting, surrounded by twenty eight point two eight carat diamonds set into a white gold band. It was perfectly Rachel in every way.

"Yes of course I'll marry you," she finally answered, the tears now free flowing as Quinn stood up removing the ring from the box and slipping it on the Rachel's finger. Quinn wrapped her arms around the diva and held her flush against her own body in a tight embrace, basking in the feeling of holding the woman she loved in her arms and feeling her hug her back. In that moment it felt like everything was falling into place. Holding Rachel in her arms, for the first time in a long time, Quinn felt like they could overcome anything. She just hoped she was right.

**Aww…wasn't that cute. So happy for Faberry. Hope everyone is lapping up the sugary sweetness in this chapter because it is going to be an uphill battle for our girls. Cancer is a bitch like that. Just to tease I actually have two endings worked for this story….which is a long way off yet just so you know….but let's just say they are two completely different endings. Talk to you soon and please review… I love hearing your thoughts.**


	7. Chapter 4

**Okay, I know I said yesterday that I wouldn't be able to update for a couple days but I found some downtime and punched this out cause I love you all so much. Anyways enjoy. And just so you know, I really won't be able to update for a couple days after this Thanks for the reviews.**

"I'll get it," Quinn called out as she walked through the living room to the front foyer to answer the door. It was the evening after Quinn re-proposed to Rachel and the girls had decided that now that they had officially marked the occasion with a ring, it was time to tell the Glee Club. With Rachel's weakened condition and after her episode at school, it had been decided that the diva would be home schooled from now on. It was hard for her to accept at first, she didn't want to miss anymore glee rehearsals, but it was decided for the benefit of her health that it was for the best.

What the girls hadn't anticipated was their fellow Glee members taking it upon themselves to tutor Rachel so that she could keep up with her workload and stay on top of her classes. Quinn would help Rachel with English and History, Santana helped her with Spanish and Math, while Mike helped her with Science. It was a fool proof system and it also meant that Rachel always had company. What was even more overwhelming for both girls was Mr. Shuestsers role in it all. Knowing that it was impossible for Rachel to attend Glee meetings and Quinn would rather be at home with the brunette, he decided that after school meetings would be held at Rachel's house instead.

Which made gathering their friends to tell them the news that much easier. When Quinn answered the door she was greeted by Mike, Tina, Rory, Sugar and Joe, or Teen Jesus as Brittany had affectionately taken to calling him. Welcoming them in she closed the door behind them and they all followed her to the kitchen were the rest of the club and Mr. Shue were gathered around talking and enjoying some of Rachel's home baked cookies. When the last of arrivals entered the kitchen, there was a chorus of 'heys' and 'hi's', or in Santana's case "About damn time."

"Alright guys lets convene in the living room and get this meeting under way," Mr. Shue said as he stood up. Everyone followed him to the living room where he had set up a whiteboard so he could write down notes. Everyone sat wherever there was space. Quinn, Rachel, Santana and Brittany sat on the main couch with Puck and Finn sitting on the floor at their feet. Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine and Sam sat on the couch by the living room window, while Mike sat on the arm rest with Tina leaning into him. Rory, Sugar and Joe sat on the windowsill and Artie parked his wheelchair between the two couches.

"Okay guys, National's is right around the corner so we need to start coming up with song ideas. Now the theme this year is vintage, however that doesn't mean that the songs have to be vintage. If the songs we come up with are good enough, we can give them a vintage twist," he explained. Quinn whispered in Rachel's ear and when the brunette nodded her head, the blonde raised her hand. "Yes Quinn," Mr. Shue said pointing at her with a marker. Standing up, Quinn took Rachel by the hand and helped her up. "If it's okay Mr. Shue, Rachel and I have something we want to share with everyone," she said. The curly haired teacher nodded his head and stood aside taking up residence on the armrest of the couch the two girls had just vacated and looked at his students who had taken the floor.

"We have some amazing news and we wanted you guys to be the first to know because you're our friends and we consider you to be our family," Rachel said with a beaming smile on her face. Quinn stood with her arm around the smaller girl's waist allowing Rachel the honour of being the one to share the news. Brittany perked up at this, "Oh my God is your cancer all better," she asked with her usual childlike enthusiasm. Everyone in the room fell into an uncomfortable silence when Rachel's face fell at the comment, although they knew Brittany was just confused and meant no harm, it still knocked the wind out of the brunette. Seeing her fiancée visibly deflate, Quinn pulled Rachel flush against her and squeezed her shoulders.

"No Britt that's not what our news is, but the doctors are doing everything they can to make her better," Quinn said with a reassuring smile at the ditzy blonde while simultaneously trying to reassure the cancer stricken girl in her arms. "What we wanted to tell you is, is that I asked Rachel to marry me," Quinn said as she turned to gaze down at the brunette, "And she said yes," she finished, flashing a megawatt smile as she beamed with happiness. She still couldn't believe that the woman in her arms was her fiancée, that she was going to marry her. It overwhelmed her in the most amazing way.

"Wow guys, that's, that's unexpected," Mr. Shue said as he ran a hand through his hair, his face caught between a frown and a smile as he tried to get his head around what he had just heard. Two of his high school students were getting married and he didn't know is he should be happy or concerned. I mean it wasn't like these were two reckless teenagers, as a matter of fact they were two of the most level headed, mature students he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. But he couldn't help but worry that this was a bad decision. Seeing the torn look on everyone's faces Quinn spoke up and broke the silence.

"Look, I know Rachel and I are really young and it seems stupid for two teens to get married right out of high school," she said. A few nodded at what the former cheerleader was saying but kept their opinions to themselves, knowing that Quinn was in the middle of explaining their actions. "But if Rachel's cancer has taught me anything, it's that time is precious. If the thing you want the most is standing right in front of you, you have to grab it with both hands," she said, wrapping both arms around Rachel for emphasis. "I love Rachel more than anything and how I feel about her will be exactly the same five, ten, twenty years from now. So why wait when I can have her right now?" Quinn asked looking around at everyone in the room.

"And I love Quinn. You know most people in her situation would have run a mile by now. But she has stood by me and been my rock. There's nothing I want more than to call her my wife. Hell even Broadway doesn't stand a chance against Quinn," Rachel said earning a laugh from everyone in the room. Seeing the happiness radiating from the two girls Mr. Shue made his mind up there and then, Rachel and Quinn were made for each other. "Well in that case there's only one thing I've got to say, when's the wedding?" he asked with a smile and a look of fatherly pride. Quinn and Rachel reciprocated with equal enthusiasm.

"Well we talked about it last night and….," Quinn trailed eying for Rachel to continue, "…and we decided that we want to get married the weekend after graduation. And we want all of you to be a part of the wedding," Rachel said as she gazed around at all their friends. Every single one of them beamed with joy for the couple. Santana smirked, "Well there's only one appropriate answer to that, say it with me y'all," she said. Everyone looked around and hollered an ear splitting "Hell yeah." With that everyone got up and one by one they congratulated the girls.

Finn stood up and stared at the girls awkwardly for a few moments before finally stepping forward and engulfing them both in a huge bear hug and then stepped back. "I just want you both to know that, I really am happy for you and I hope there's no hard feelings, you know, about the past and stuff," he said with a lopsided smile. Quinn wrapped an arm around Rachel and they both smiled at the boy before the, grateful that he was willing to be the bigger. "Thanks Finn, and there's no hard feelings," the blonde replied. The response putting a huge smile on the abnormally tall teenager.

Puck stepped up next and pulled Quinn into his arms. "Don't hurt her Q. Rachel's like a sister to me, but don't tell anyone I said that cause I've got a reputation to keep up," he said with cheeky grin. Quinn laughed "I won't Puck. It's the one thing I promise I will never do," she said as they pulled apart. Quinn watched on adoringly as Puck wrapped his arms around Rachel, making the girl look tiny in his arms. She never thought she'd ever be comfortable having a player like Puck hold her girl like that, but seeing how much he cared for Rachel, for both of them, she knew he was a true friend.

That officially ended any hope of talking about songs for Nationals as the topic of discussion suddenly turned to wedding planning with Kurt declaring his intention of taking up the role of unofficial wedding planner. J-Lo be damned, Kurt Hummel was a man on a mission. Hours passed and finally everybody decided it was time to leave. Quinn ushered the last of the herd out the door and leaned against the closed door, rolling her neck to loosen out the tiredness that was taking over. Walking up the stairs, she made her way into her and Rachel's room. That was one thing she loved about being engaged. Hiram and Leroy had decided that if they were going to be wife and wife then they could at least share a bed. Although they had stressed that any form of sexual relations was out of the question, at least until the girls were married.

When she walked into the room she saw Rachel in the bathroom going through her nighty routine. Making her over to the dresser, she pulled out a pair of sleep shorts and her old Cheerio's tank top and got ready for bed. Discarding the clothes she had been wearing into the laundry hamper, Quinn walked around the bed and joined Rachel in the bathroom. Picking up her toothbrush, Quinn began brushing her teeth while sporadically smiling at her fiancée in the mirror. After a rinsing and spitting, Rachel picked up her hairbrush and began brushing her hair, going through the usual manner of brushing it a certain number of times on either side and at the back. It was quirky but Quinn found it adorable.

Quinn leaned against the bathroom counter top and beamed at Rachel, loving those moments where it was just them and the worries of the day forgotten. "I love you", she said as she stepped closer to Rachel and grabbed her by the waist pulling her against her own body, basking in the warmth the brunette radiated against her. Rachel smiled, "I love you too," she said as she leaned up and pecked Quinn on the lips before pulling back and continuing to brush her hair. When Rachel pulled the brush away her heart stopped.

Looking down she saw a clump of hair stuck in the bristles. Dropping the brush, she ran her hand through the side of her hair and allowed a broken sob escape her mouth as pulled her hand away to reveal another clump of her hair staring back at her in the palm of her hand. Quinn was startled by the noise that escaped Rachel's lips, when she turned her gaze to what Rachel was looking at her heart dropped. Reaching her hand out she gently gripped Rachel by the wrist and brought her other hand up to cup the diva's face in her palm.

"Rachel, Rach baby look at me. It's okay, it's gonna be okay. Do you hear me?" Quinn said as she looked Rachel in the eye and fought against her own emotions to stay strong for the girl she was holding. Rachel looked at her and nodded her head as tears spilled down her cheeks. Quinn leaned down and placed a kiss against her forehead and when she pulled away, she grabbed the hair in Rachel's hand and put it in the bin out of sight. "Come on lets go to bed," Quinn said as she guided Rachel out of the bathroom and towards the bed.

Pulling the duvet back, she sat Rachel down and waited for her to lay down before pulling the duvet up over her. When Rachel was comfortable, the blonde walked around the bed to the far wall and flicked off the light and then climbed into bed behind the sobbing diva. Pulling the smaller girl tight against her front, she wrapped her arms tight around her and nuzzled her nose behind Rachel's ear, breathing her in. "I love you Rachel." And with that she held the diva until her tears subsided and then they both fell into a deep slumber.

**Poor Rachel . I guess you really can't be blissfully happy without drama turning everything upside down. Okay so I already have the next chapter thought and we're going to see Rachel struggle with her insecurities. But both she and Quinn are going to receive heart to hearts from two different people who share the same tough love approach to life! Oh the joys. Enjoy… and remember I love reviews, the make me update happy... as I have demonstrated recently **


	8. Chapter 5

**New Chapter! Happy days! Hope you like it. Santana plays a pretty big part in it. Some Pezberry and Lobray? moments to move the story along. Hope you enjoy and thank you all so much for the reviews and for adding to your story alerts. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

"Wow Q, you look like a kicked puppy," came the voice of Santana as she came to a standstill next to Quinn's locker. The blonde pulled out her geometry book and her notes before closing the locker door and shooting an exhausted look at her friend. Leaning with her side up against the cool metal, Quinn hugged her books to her chest and then ran a hand through her golden locks, effectively pushing them back from her face. Santana frowned at how down her for captain looked. Her shoulders were slumped and her usual flair was missing. She didn't look like a happy newly engaged lovebird. It was disheartening for the Latina to see.

"It's Rachel," Quinn said and before she could utter another word Santana stood up straight, an alarmed look in her eyes. "Wait, you guys didn't call off the wedding did you?" the brunette asked. "What? No!" Quinn replied. _That will never happen_, the blonde thought as she stood up from the locker. "Did Berry have another episode like last week?" Santana asked, and Quinn was amazed to see actual concern the dark eyes staring bark at her. The blonde shook her head and held up a hand to stop her friend from spilling out anymore theories.

"No, Santana it's not that. Its….," Quinn trailed off and gazed around at all the students hanging around in the hallway before returning her attention to the girl standing before her and lowering her voice. "Rachel's hair is, it's starting to fall out. It happened last night when we were getting ready for bed. She was combing her hair and it just," Quinn gestured to her head with her hands as if to pull a clump of hair from her head. Santana nodded her own head, instantly understanding where this was going. Rachel was by far one of the least vain girls the Latina knew, when compared to her teammates on the Cheerio's.

But at the end of the day Rachel was still a girl and liked to look good and feel pretty. It was only natural that something like this would be a major blow to the girl's self-esteem. Quinn huffed out a sigh and continued where she left off. "I held her all last night well she cried. It's literally killing me knowing there's nothing I can do to make any of this easier for her. She locked herself in the bathroom this morning and refused to let me see her before I came to school this morning," Quinn said sadly as she and Santana began walking towards class.

"Yeah that sucks, but Q, look at it from her side, she just got engaged and her wedding is taking place in a matter of weeks. How would you feel if all your hair started falling out knowing you're gonna be standing next to the girl who was once the wet dream of every guy at school?". To say Santana had a unique way of making people see things, but there was one thing you could always guarantee, she would make you see her point one way or another, and although Quinn was grateful for it, at this moment in time she felt sick to the stomach.

She knew that when Rachel started losing her hair that it would be a big adjustment for her fiancée to deal with, what she hadn't factored into the equation was the rather major factor of their impending nuptials and how Rachel would be feeling about her appearance. Quinn knew Rachel was far from being hung up on her looks, but one thing she always maintained was that she wanted to always look good for Quinn. The blonde had told Rachel countless times that she was the most beautiful girl she had ever met, and while Rachel would always accept the compliment with a blush, but Quinn knew she was just doing it more to appease her feelings than because she believed it, so she would tell her almost every day in an effort to finally make the girl of her dreams believe her.

But here they were, weeks away from what should be the most important day of their lives, and Rachel was battling a serious case of low self-esteem. Quinn felt like the worst fiancée in the world. "San, what am I gonna do? I need to fix this, like right now," Quinn said in a whiney tone as she slumped against the doorframe of the classroom. Santana placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder and leaned forward so she was looking Quinn straight in the eye. "No what you need to do is get your ass through the rest of the school day and then go home and fix this. Berry won't forgive you or me if I let your education suffer. You have plenty of time to come up with a plan to fix this, Berry will still be there when you get home," Santana said.

With one look at the fixed gaze the Latina was giving her Quinn nodded her head and trudged into geometry, taking a seat in the middle row. Santana on the other hand was already formulating a plan of action in her head. _Rachel Berry it's time you and me had a heart to heart. Lima Heights style_, Santana thought to herself as she whipped out her phone and sent a message off to Brittany. Once she was done, she slipped her phone into the waist of her Cheerio's skirt and took her seat next to Quinn. Shooting the blonde a comforting smile as she flicked open her book, counting down the minutes until she could get down to business.

The bleachers had become somewhat of an escape for Quinn over the last month or so. Anytime she needed a free moment to think, breath, or even pray, she found herself sitting out by the football, just letting the world pass her by and thankfully her friends rarely interrupted her. Knowing that this was time for Quinn to just let all her worries and concerns go for a moment, just so she could breath and re-gather her strength and composure so that she could be strong for Rachel and take care of her to the best of her ability. Well as best she could as an eighteen year old high schooler can.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the leader of the Power Puff Girls. You know since you decided to come out of the closet along with Sandbags and Tweedle Dumb, that term of endearment has never been more ironic than right now," came the voice of one Sue Sylvester, her usual snide tone lacing through her words. Quinn turned her head to glance over her shoulder, the sunshine beaming down on her causing her to squint her eyes as she eyed the woman towering over her. "A little gossip fairy, and by fairy I mean Kurt Hummel, has been babbling with excitement around school that a certain ex-cheerleader of mine is planning on getting hitched," Sus said as she stepped over the bleacher Quinn was sitting on and sat down.

"Are you about to give me some life affirming speech about how I'm ruining my life and that I should ditch Rachel, re-join the Cheerio's and move on? Because if you are you can save it, Rachel's my life now and nothing or no one is going to make me walk away from her. Especially not your new little cheer whore down there," Quinn finished pointing down towards Shannon Peterson who was shamelessly flirting with some of the footballers. Sue looked at Quinn, squinting her eyes to block out the sun.

"You know, ever since Jean passed away, I've suddenly realised that even forever has a time limit. I deluded myself into thinking that she would _always_ be around," Sue said as she leaned her elbows over her knees and watched on as her cheer squad began to make their way onto the field for practice. Quinn sat with her head turned towards Sue, listening to what she was saying. After all, it was very rare that the cheer coach ever showed her soft side. Quinn felt oddly honoured to be one of the select few who saw this side of the Ice Queen.

"We're only given a short amount of time on this earth to achieve everything we can, whether it's success, acclaim or 'love'," Sue said with air quotes, she wasn't quite that soft to speak of love in a deep meaningful way. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that if you've found what you're looking for, hold onto it as tight as you can and don't ever let it go or you will regret it for the rest of your life." With that Sue stood up, grabbing her megaphone and began making her way down the steps towards the field. Quinn allowed Sue's words of wisdom sink in and smiled when she realised that her former cheer coach had just, in her own indirect way, given her the seal of approval.

"Hey coach," Quinn called out. Sue turned to face the blonde, her hand over her eyes blocking out the sunshine that was impairing her vision of the blonde teenager. "Did you find what you're looking for?" she asked. Sue glanced down at her Cheerio's and then smiled as she turned back to face Quinn. "Well Q, I've got numerous glass cases full of winner's trophies. What do you think?" she asked with a smirk before turning around and continuing down the steps. Quinn smiled at Sue's words, even when she was being serious Sue was all about the winner's trophies. The bell for the end of Quinn's free period rang out over the football field and the blonde gathered up her bag and flung it over her shoulder, taking one last glance at the field before heading back towards the school.

Santana will be the first to admit, she hated having serious conversations with people because it usually meant she had to show some sort of emotion, and the Latina hated being seen as soft. But this was important. The happiness of her best friend and her 'sort of friend', although secretly Santana did deeply care for Rachel, depended on it. Looking out her car window, she saw that the driveway was empty and knew that if she was going to do anything, it was now while there were distractions. Climbing out of her car, she closed the door and clicked the clock button on her car keys before stowing them away in her Cheerio's letterman jacket.

Glancing through the front windows, the house looked empty, but Santana had a feeling that Rachel was hiding away upstairs. Walking around the back of the house, because trying to break in through the front of the house in full view of the neighbours would not go down well, the Latina worked her way to the back door and gave it a jiggle. _Nope locked_, she thought as she glanced around. Noticing the double doors that led out into the garden from the kitchen, she decided to chance it. Hopefully they were forgetful. _Aha, score one to the ninja cheerleader. _

Walking through the kitchen, Santana admired the modern yet cozy feel of the house. No wonder Quinn felt at home with the Berry's. She'd been there before but she'd never really taken the time to soak it all in. She was impressed. Walking through the living room to the foyer she found the stairs and walked up it, to the first floor. Glancing left she saw two rooms, turning to her right she saw five rooms and right at the end was a white door with a sparkling gold star on the door. _Bingo._ Making her to the end of the hallway, Santana stepped up to the door and knocked.

"Go away!" came the muffled voice on the other side of the door. Santana knocked again. "Daddy please just leave me alone!" Clearly Rachel was not going to open the door. The Latina decided if Rachel wasn't going to answer a knock, she would answer a threat. "Listen here Frodo, either open up, or Imma go all Jack Nicholson on this door and ends you. I haven't got all day!" The soft click of a lock signalled to Santana that the door was unlocked. Gripping the door knob, she twisted it and opened it up to reveal Rachel lying in bed with the duvet over her head.

"Come on Berry, up," Santana said with a clap of her hands. "Go away Santana!" Rachel shouted from beneath the covers. Santana shook her head, preparing grab the diva out of the bed. "Not gonna happen. Q told me about your little episode last night. Me and you, we gon' gets our Dr. Phil on up in here, and don't even think bout pullin' the sick card with me coz I swear to whatever God your Jewish ass prays to I will get my Michael Myers on and butcher your ass. Now come on, up!" Santana said pulling the covers off the small body heaped on the bed.

Sitting up in the bed, Rachel adjusted the beanie hat to her head. Santana looked her up and down and then pulled the chair by Rachel's desk up to the bed and sat down. Knowing the diva wouldn't appreciate her invading her space by climbing onto the bed next to her. "Alright start talkin'. Why are you pushing Quinn away?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side. Rachel glanced up at the ceiling trying to stem the flow of tears threatening to fall, before looking back to Santana. It was either talk or row and Rachel didn't have the energy.

"Look at me, I'm hideous. My body is falling apart," Rachel said, gesturing to her underweight, body. The brunette had always been slim, but the chemo was ravishing her body and now she looked like a delicate porcelain doll who could break into a tiny pieces if she were to fall. Rachel's once shiny brown locks were lifeless and if Santana had to guess, Rachel was wearing that beanie hat to hide the extent of the damage. Her heart genuinely broke for the girl. "Rachel that's not true," Santana said as she sat forward on the chair.

"YES! YES IT IS!" Rachel screamed the tears now free flowing. "And it's only a matter of time before Quinn realises she can do so much better. I don't want to lose her, but I don't want to hold her back from living her life," Rachel choked out between sobs as she clutched her left hand to her chest, gazing down at her engagement ring. That was all Santana needed to here, standing up she gently grabbed Rachel by the wrist and tugged her towards the full length mirror in the corner of the room and stood the smaller brunette in front of it.

"Take off your shirt," the Latina said as she stood behind Rachel. The diva looked at her open mouthed in the mirror, preparing herself to protest but Santana stopped her. "Come on Berry I haven't got all day. Just do it." Rachel begrudgingly removed her shirt and threw it on the bed. Staring back at her was a worn down body, chest catheter on display and ribs poking out from under almost translucent skin. Then she felt warm hands rest on her shoulders and saw Santana gazing at her through the mirror.

"You might think you look like crap, but do you want to know what everyone else sees?" she said more as a rhetorical question. "We see a warrior, someone who is fighting a battle every day and kicking ass. Just like in Glee club. What you're looking at, these are your battle scars and they're there to show everyone that nothing is going to keep you down or stop you from following your dreams. Not even cancer," Santana said and Rachel couldn't help but notice the small glint of pride in the Latina's eyes. Just then she was being whirled around and standing face to face with the Cheerio.

"And do you want to know what Quinn see's?" Santana asks. This time wanting a response from Rachel. The diva nodded her head wiped away a tear. Santana raised her hand and pointed her pointer finger over Rachel's heart. "She sees this, every-single-day and that's why she loves you. Because you've given her the one thing she's always wanted. Someone to love her unconditionally, regardless of her flaws," Santana answered honestly. "So you can hide yourself away forever but it doesn't matter how hard you try to push her away, Quinn is not going anywhere."

Rachel looked into Santana's eyes and she could see the truth within them, staring back at her and she couldn't escape it. The only thing she could do was face her fears and the inevitable head on, with the hope that Santana was right, and Quinn would be right there at the end of it. Reaching up, Rachel removed the beanie from her head and Santana's face visibly stiffened at the sight. There were bald patches in Rachel's scalp where her beautiful hair once was. "Dios mio," Santana said under her breath as she caught a tear from falling. Rachel looked up at the Latina and clasped the beanie between her hands. "I need you to help me with something. As a friend."

Walking through the front door of the Berry house, Quinn placed her bag down by the door and shrugged her denim jacket off. The sound of footsteps on the stairs caught her attention. "Santana? What are you doing here? You're not helping Rachel with homework today," Quinn said confused as she mentally ran through the timetable they had worked out. Santana stood with her hands in her pockets glancing over her shoulder up the stairs. "No, that's not why I'm here," the Latina said. Quinn frowned.

"Well then wha…," Quinn trailed off as the sight of Rachel descending the stairs caught her eye. Moving past her best friend, she stood at the foot of the stairs and waited for her fiancée to reach the last step so that she was standing right in front of her. Rachel crossed her arms over her chest in a nervous manner as Quinn's eyes traced over every inch of her body before falling on the silk scarf that was wrapped neatly around the diva's head. Her once luscious brown locks now gone. "Rach," Quinn husked out as she glanced down at Rachel with tear filled eyes.

"Hey," Rachel replied when she finally met the gaze of the beautiful hazel eyes staring back at her. Quinn reached up and tugged on the knot of the scarf, causing it to fall open so she could remove it from the diva's head. Throwing it on the stairs she reached up and cupped Rachel's face in the palm of her hands, gently pulling her towards her and as she did, she dropped a long lingering, passionate kiss on the smaller girls head. Pouring as much emotion into the kiss as she possibly could. The act of love was enough to cause the diva's resolve to break as her body shook and her tears fell.

Removing her lips from the top of Rachel's head, Quinn leaned down and capture the diva's lips in her own, running her tongue along her lovers lower lips begging to deepen the kiss, which the smaller girl was eager to allow. They battled with each other as they poured every ounce of love into the kiss, their tongues wrestling for dominance, until finally they pulled apart and Quinn wrapped her arms tightly around the other girls body, cradling Rachel's head in her chest and finally allowing her own tears to fall. Glancing in the mirror to her left, she saw Santana staring back at her with a smile. Smiling back, Quinn mouthed a _thank you_ and then nuzzled her face in the crook between Rachel's neck and shoulder. Feeling like they had accomplished something major that day.

**Poor Faberry! I almost feel like a bitch for putting them though this. But as the saying goes what doesn't kill you…. Well let's just hope for the best shall we. Don't forget to review. I love hearing your thoughts. Talk to you soon.**


	9. Chapter 6

**Update! Yay! Okay so in this chapter, we find out where exactly we'll find the girls after graduation. Don't worry, in upcoming chapters we find out where the rest of the Gleeks will be as well so the girls may or may not have familiar company. Anyways thanks again for the reviews, especially to my little supper reviewer ****Caseyrn12****, who never fails to put a smile on my face and to everyone who has added this story to their story alerts. Enjoy!**

Night time had rolled around rather quickly after Santana had left. Rachel and Quinn had thanked her profusely for being there for both of them, and after a round of hugs, the Latina left just moments before the Berry men arrived home. To say they were a little stunned with Rachel's new appearance was accurate. They were expecting it to happen sooner rather than later but it was still something that required some getting used to.

Quinn on the other hand, was adjusting to it rather well. The blonde had mentally prepared herself for seeing Rachel this way, her faith and her friends helping her reach a level of acceptance of what was to come and she was grateful for it. When she looked at Rachel, it wasn't the lack of hair or the scarf covering her now bare head that she saw, it was the woman she fell in love with. Still as beautiful as ever and Quinn had made sure to let Rachel know just how much by spending the evening engaging in some heft PDA. Only stopping when Hiram and Leroy returned home.

The family was now gathered in the kitchen, Rachel and Quinn sitting on side of the dining table, and Leroy and Hiram sitting across from them, all nursing a cup of herbal tea, having made it a point earlier in the week to discuss what the girls were planning to do after graduation. The Berry men had made it clear that no wedding would take place unless the girls had decided upon what their long term plans were for at least the next couple of years.

To say both girls had thought long and hard about this particular subject was an understatement. With Rachel's cancer, and the fact that she was only about a month into treatment, they would have to factor in how this would affect her medical care. This lead to both girls engaging in some serious soul searching both as a couple and as individual people, as they tried to figure out what they wanted to do. If they wanted to be together, it was inevitable that one of the girls would have to give up their dream college. But who? And did they really have enough time to apply to other colleges so close to graduation?

"We've been thinking a lot about the future and what's going to happen after graduation, and the one thing we agreed on is that we want to be together," Quinn said as she held Rachel's hand on the kitchen table. "I don't want to begin married life with my wife living in another city or state. I want us to do it together," Quinn stated with steely determination. "And if that means following Rachel to New York then so be it." Leroy gave the blonde a small smile, a sense of pride in that a girl so young was willing to change her whole future for his baby girl. The silence that had fallen was broken by Rachel as she turned to face her fiancée.

"Quinn you can't give up Yale. It's been your dream college for the last two years, it's an amazing opportunity," Rachel argued as she gave Quinn's hand a squeeze. The blonde shook her head about to dispute what the diva was saying but spoke up first. "Is this about my cancer? Because if it is I'm telling you now Lucy Quinn Fabray, you are NOT giving Yale because of my illness," Rachel said with a fire in her eyes as she stared into the hazel eyes staring back at her. But Quinn wasn't having any of it. She was going to make Rachel see it her way.

"No, there is no way in hell, I'm leaving you to fight this thing on your own. Not a chance," Quinn argued back, twisting in her chair so she was facing Rachel completely. "If I left you behind to fight this on your own, it would be the biggest regret of my life and it would eat me up every single day I was away from you. But it's not just about the cancer," Quinn said as she leaned over to her fiancée and grabbed a hold of both the diva's hands. "Rach, I love you, and I want to start the next chapter of our lives together, not living in different states. I can't do it, and I won't."

Pushing her chair away from the table Quinn walked over to her backpack and removed what looked like a letter. Walking back over to the table she sat down and looked at the Berry men who were facing each other, knowing exactly where this was going. Quinn handed the letter to Rachel who looked at her confused. Opening it up, Rachel brought her hand to her mouth in shock, Staring back at her was Quinn's acceptance letter to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Rachel looked at Quinn and tried to speak but her words were caught in her throat unable to escape.

"I talked to Ms. Pilsbury and she pointed me in the direction of colleges that offer a theatre programme so that I can still study what I want to study. I looked through them all and apparently NYU offers one of the most extensive theatre programmes in the country. Right up there with Yale," Quinn said with a smile. She gently stroked Rachel's forearm and watched the girl read the letter over and over, as if checking to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. "It means we can both do what we want to do, and be together," Quinn offered as her smile grew bigger. Just as she was feeling confident that everything was going to work out, Rachel put a spanner in the works.

"Quinn you can't," Rachel said as she placed the letter down on the table. Quinn frowned, a look of dejection slowly creeping across her face. "Rach, it's okay, I can….." Rachel cut Quinn off as she turned to her father and eyed him with a look that Hiram seemed to understand. Quinn looked between the pair confused, until she watched as Hiram stood up, walked to the mail drawer and removed an envelope, returning to the table and handing it to his daughter. "You can't go to NYU, because I've been accepted to Yale," Rachel said timidly, almost with a hint of a nervous smile.

The blonde sat stunned, had she heard Rachel right? Her eyes were pulled towards the table as she watched Rachel slide the Yale stamped envelope towards her. Quinn placed her hand down on top of it effectively trapping the diva's hand beneath hers. "But, Rach, what about NYADA and Broadway?" Quinn asked. Rachel smiled at her and moved her trapped hand from beneath the blonde's so that she could hold it. Hiram and Leroy sat watching the whole thing unfold right before their eyes. Watching as two young teenagers became adults right before their eyes. Learning to meander one of life's many curveballs.

"My dream is still to get to Broadway, my plan on getting on there has just changed a little," Rachel pointed out as she drummed her fingers on the letter still sitting between them. "I already know I can sing, but as I discovered during my performance in West Side Story, my acting skills could use a little work and apparently Yale offers one of the best, if not _the_ best theatre programme there is. I figured I could study acting there and then when we're finished, New York will be there waiting for us," the diva said with a smile. A smile that Quinn could see was genuine and hid no sense of doubt in this decision.

"You'd really do this for me?" Quinn asked as tears welled up in her eyes at what Rachel was prepared to do for both their happiness. "Quinn don't you get it? I would do anything for you," Rachel said with a serious tone as she cupped Quinn's cheek in her hand and wiped away a tear that had fallen. "You have done so much for me already and I know that you always will. Let me do this for you. For us," the diva whispered. Quinn placed her hand over the one that was cradling her cheek and smiled the biggest smile Rachel had ever seen. "Okay, let's do this," Quinn replied as Rachel practically jumped into her arms and held her tight, laughing when the Berry men across from them burst into a round of applause.

"Oh thank God you said yes, otherwise my weeks of planning would have been for nothing," Rachel said as she sat down again. Quinn looked at Rachel suspiciously. "Planning, what planning?" The diva broke into a sly smile as she looked at both her fathers. Leroy turned in his seat and turned to the kitchen island behind him and picked up the folder that was sitting on top of it and handed it to his daughter. "Well, I was kind of counting on you saying yes, so I took the liberty of scoping out apartments off campus. Dad and Daddy have agreed to help pay the rent since we both have full scholarships. So what do you think?" Rachel asked as she handed Quinn a small bundle of print outs of apartments in New Haven.

"Honestly, I think you're amazing and I'm the luckiest girl in the world to be marrying you," Quinn said as she put the papers down and leaned in to kiss Rachel, the Berry men averting their eyes momentarily to give the girls some privacy. "But what about your treatment?" Quinn asked, her brain already going to overdrive thinking of what a move like this could do to Rachel's health. Rachel placed a comforting hand on her fiancée's shoulder. "Baby it's okay. I talked to the doctor at my last session and he said as long as we're in New Haven before the next bout of radium and chemo, that it shouldn't be a problem. He can have my case transferred to the Smilow Cancer Hospital there."

Quinn visibly relaxed when she saw the hospital brochure that Rachel had handed her, knowing that there was a plan in place for Rachel's care and treatment. That was her top priority and it was a relief knowing that steps were being taken to make sure Rachel's health wasn't going to suffer. "Well, it looks like you girls have finally got a plan in place," Leroy said with a big grin on his face. Both girls smiled realising that yes, they did in fact have a plan. One that was thought out and that they were both comfortable with. "Yeah okay don't get too comfortable. You've got your next steps after graduation planned but now," Hiram trailed off as he stood up and walked to his briefcase and removed a stack of magazines, "We've got a wedding to organise," he sat as he sat down and handed a magazine to each of the tables occupants, everyone happy to delve into planning the biggest day of the girl's lives.

That night as they lay in bed, Quinn couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She was graduating high school with people she knew would be friends with for life, she was going to be attending her dream college, but most importantly, in a few weeks, she was going to make the girl lying in her arms Mrs. Rachel Berry-Fabray, and she couldn't have been happier in that moment. As Rachel lay with her head on Quinn's chest she gently rubbed circles on the girl's stomach under her night shirt.

"You're being awfully quiet," Quinn said as she used the arm wrapped around Rachel to squeeze her shoulder to encourage her to speak. "Sorry, I've just been thinking," Rachel replied. Quinn shifted her head on the pillow so she glanced down at the girl lying against her chest. "About what?" the blonde asked as she brought her hand up to rest on the once tanned hand that was resting on her stomach. Rachel lifted herself from her current position and leaned on her left elbow, placing her right over Quinn's heart.

"On our wedding night, I want you to make love to me," Rachel said, her voice cracking with nerves. Quinn stared up at the brown eyes gazing back at her to see if she could see any sign that the girl above her was uncertain about her decision. Rachel was still a virgin and although they had been in a relationship since their Junior Year, Quinn never pressured the girl into having sex with her. She was more than happy to wait until Rachel was ready. "Rach, are you sure?" Quinn asked, wanting her fiancée to absolutely positive that this is what she wanted. "Yeah," Rachel replied with a shy smile. "I am. I want us to make love and I want our first time to be the first night we spend together as a married couple."

Quinn beamed up at Rachel, gently wrapping her hand around the girls neck and pulling her down into a full on kiss, tongues darting out as they begged for entrance which was immediately granted. Getting lost in the kiss, Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel and flipped her over on her back. Hovering over the smaller girl, Quinn gazed down at the sparkling brown eyes staring back at her, completely and utterly lost in the fact that this girl had promised to spend the rest of her life with her. In that moment, Quinn felt as if she could soar across the sky, with her shining star guiding the way. "I love you," Quinn said as she ran a hand across Rachel's cheek. "I love you too," the diva replied before the blonde captured her lips in her own as they spent the rest of the night wrapped up in each other's arms.

**So what do you think? Go on, hit that little review button… you know you want to! Next up we'll see all the Gleeks let loose at a Noah Puckerman end of football season blow out. Wonder what this could entail for our girls? See you soon.**


	10. Chapter 7

**Update! Yayyyyy! Okay so thank you again to everyone who added this story to their alerts. I really hope you're enjoying this fic. Hope you like the new chapter, enjoy. For anyone confused about the backstory of all the Gleeks prior to the events of this story, I'll explain. Everything that happened on Glee from seasons 1 and 2 all occurred. However here are the details I changed. 1.) Quinn DID have sex with Puck, but she never got pregnant, hence why only Rachel is a virgin. 2.) They both dated Finn like in the show, however Quinn never got back together with him after her break up with Sam and neither did Rachel. Instead they realised their feelings for each other and started dating. I will more than likely address how they got together in a future chapter. Hope this cleared some stuff up for people.**

"Are you sure you want to go?" Quinn asked as she stood behind Rachel, wrapping her arms around her fiancée's waist as they both glanced into the full length mirror. It was Friday night and Puck was hosting an end of season party to celebrate the senior's last game playing as a McKinley Titan and all the Glee Club were invited. Which was unusual since the Glee Club never really got to mingle with the school hierarchy outside of school, but it was their last year, it was time to put aside all the animosity. Rachel placed her hands on top of the arms that were resting against her stomach and smiled at Quinn through the mirror.

"Quinn, Puck invited us, we have to go. It's one of the last parties we'll ever go to as high schoolers," she replied as she turned in the blonde girls arms so they were standing face to face. Quinn gazed down into Rachel's eyes and the smaller girl couldn't help but smile as she saw the protective look floating around the swirls of gold and hazel staring back at her. It made her feel so safe and secure. Quinn leaned down a little and gently pecked Rachel's lips. "I know, I know. I just, I don't want to put you in a position to feel uncomfortable."

"Yeah I know baby and I appreciate that," Rachel said as she placed the palm of her hands flat against the blonde's chest. "But I'm going to have to face everyone sooner or later." The statement unsettled Quinn, she knew that as soon as everyone set eyes on Rachel that the whispering and staring would begin and Quinn didn't want to put the diva in a position to be gawked at. More importantly, Quinn wasn't sure if she could contain her inner HBIC if someone so much as looked at her girl wrong.

Rachel could see the frustration and concern written across Quinn's face and she knew she needed to sooth her worries before they left or the blonde would be tense for the rest of the night. "Look, I know you're worried, but all our friends from Glee Club will be there and Kurt has promised that he and Blaine will be at my beck and call all night, so you don't need to worry about me being on my own," the diva said as she fidgeted with the cross and star on the blonde's chain. Quinn had to admit, knowing that someone would be with Rachel at all times did ease her mind a little. She just hoped that the cheerleaders and jocks extended some courtesy and allowed everyone enjoy their night in peace.

"Besides you won't have time to worry, you'll probably be busy trying to keep a certain tall brunette from making anymore advance on you," Rachel said a mocking tone, conveying to Quinn that she trusted her completely. Quinn's face darkened at the mention of the girl. Shannon had continued her quest to bag Quinn at every opportunity and the blonde was getting sick of it. The idea that Rachel would have to spend the night in the same house as her for an entire night really unsettled her. "Baby I swear to God if she says anything to you tonight I will kill her with my bare hands," Quinn said with a serious tone in her voice that made it clear that it wasn't an empty threat.

Rachel simply nodded her because when Quinn was wound up about something, it was best to let her work off the tension and rather than continue the conversation, that would only put her more on edge. "Okay, well maybe you just need to show her how serious you are about our relationship," Rachel said as she released herself from Quinn's arms and turned to her vanity mirror/desk. "How? I've told her how I feel about you and she knows we're engaged. How can I possibly make her see that she doesn't stand a chance?" Quinn asked, running a frustrated hand through her hair.

"By wearing this," Rachel said before turning around. Quinn's mouth opened and closed as words seemed to fail her. The diva was standing in front of her holding a velvet ring box in her hand. "I figured it was about time you had a ring of your own to mark our engagement. Who knows, maybe actually seeing the ring on your finger will make Shannon back off," Rachel said as she handed the box to Quinn. The blonde held it in her left hand as she opened it to reveal a diamond solitaire engagement ring. The diamond was set into a white gold band that matched Rachel's and was encrusted with smaller diamonds either side.

"Oh my God, Rach it's beautiful," Quinn said as tears began to form in her eyes. Rachel smiled as she removed the ring from the box and placed it on the blonde's ring finger. It fit perfectly. "If that doesn't warn off skanky cheerleaders, well then I'm just going to have to invest in a shotgun," Rachel shrugged her shoulders playfully. Quinn laughed as she wiped away a tear that had fallen. Reaching down, the blonde gathered Rachel's hands in her own and brought them to her lips, kissing both. "I love you," she said. Rachel smiled and stood on her tip toes as she placed a sweet kiss to the blonde's lips. "I love you too."

Stepping towards her vanity mirror, Rachel picked up her gold star necklace and put it on while Quinn watched on. "You look sexy as hell by the way," the blonde said with a devilish grin as she admired her fiancée's long, lean legs which were on full view. Rachel had chosen to wear a white halter neck dress with a red floral print that stopped about two inches above the knee. She paired the dress with black strap sandals and a red cardigan. Reaching up to her mirror she removed the satin scarf that rested just to the side.

As she was about to put it on, Quinn removed the scarf from her hands and stood behind her. With feather like motions, Quinn wrapped the scarf around the diva's head, knotting it at the base of Rachel's head and allowing the extra material to fall over her shoulder, much like the way Rachel's hair used to. When she was done, she placed a kiss on top of the other girls head and then grabbed their coats off the bed. "Ready?" she asked as she handed the diva her coat. Rachel nodded and with that both girls made their way downstairs.

A knock at the door sounded out around the house, once the girls had made it down the stairs, Quinn opened the door to reveal Santana and Brittany waiting on the doorstep. "Bitches in the house!" Santana called out as she fist pumped the air. Brittany did a whooping motion with her arm and Rachel and Quinn just laughed at the pair. When Quinn stepped back to let them in Brittany was the first to enter followed closely by the Latina as their pinkies were linked as per usual. The tall blonde girl walked straight up to Rachel and hugged her, which startled the diva at first before she relaxed and hugged back.

"I got you present," Brittany said as she handed the gift bag over to Rachel. The girl graciously accepted the gift with a smile and placed it on the mini table by the door so she could remove the gift. When Rachel removed her hand from the bag, what was staring back at her brought a small tear to her eye. Staring back at her was a royal blue satin head scarf with little yellow duck patterns adorning it. "Santana told me you shaved all your hair off and that you were sad about it so I wanted to get you something to make you happy again. Ducks always make me happy so I figured they'd make you happy too," the ditzy blonde said with her usual enthusiasm. "Lord Tubbington picked out the colour."

Rachel had to laugh at the mention of the girls overweight cat be. Holding the scarf in both hands she looked up at the blonde girl and then reached out and wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you Britt. I love it," she said as they pulled apart. Santana and Quinn smiled at the interaction between their leading ladies before the Latina looked at her watch and noticed the time. "Alright enough of all this lovey dovey crap. We gots a party to go. C'mon I wanna gets my drink on," she said with a shimmy of her hips. Gathering up their belongings the girls exited the Berry house and piled into Santana's red Chevy and headed off for Puck's house.

"Every room in the house, seriously? What is it with drunk jocks and cheerleaders that they all have to mass procreate at the same time?" Kurt complained as he and Mercedes made their way downstairs to the living room. Mercedes just chuckled at her friend and couldn't resist antagonising him. "Boy please, you just pissed 'cause you and Blaine ain't up there getting down." Kurt shot the girl a disapproving look before releasing a soft laugh when she nudged his shoulder. Crossing the room, they sat back down in their spots on the couch where the rest of the Glee Clubbers were currently congregated; happily watching all the popular kids making idiots of themselves.

"So how bad is it upstairs?" Blaine asked them once they were seated. Kurt looked at Mercedes before turning back to face the group. "Well let's just say that in nine months, the population of Lima, Ohio will have increased greatly," he said with a dramatic shake of his head. The gang laughed it up as they continued talking. Their conversation died down when they noticed that everyone else's attention was turned towards the front door. Realising what was going on Puck stood up and walked over to greet the four girls who had just arrived.

"Jew babe, glad you could make it," he said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around the smaller girl and pulled her into bear hug, her tiny frame almost hidden under his muscular stature. When he finally released her he looked up to see Quinn, Santana and Brittany smiling at him, he cocked his head giving them a wink before draping his arm around Rachel's shoulders and guiding her across to the living room, shooting daggers at anyone who stared at her just a little too long. When they reached the couch, Blaine and Sam stood up and vacated their seats while Mercedes and Kurt scooted down to make room for the tiny diva and Quinn, who as expected, was hovering by her fiancées side. Everyone sat quietly for a moment, unsure of how to break the silence until the sparkle of a diamond on Quinn's finger caught his eye.

"Oh my God, Quinn Fabray, show me your hand right now," Kurt demanded. Everyone's attention was drawn to the blonde who laughed and held her hand up with pride as she gazed at Rachel lovingly. "My God it's beautiful. Who knew the girl who wore argyle sweaters and knee high socks had such good taste in diamonds," he said mockingly, sharing a friendly sarcastic smile with his fellow diva. Quinn blushed as all the girls took a turn enviously admiring her new permanent accessory. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Shannon Peterson holding a plastic cup of beer and scoffing as she watched Quinn flaunt her ring to her friends. Wanting to further rile up the cheerleader, the blonde turned to Rachel and gave her a loving kiss before pulling the girl into her side and snuggling on the couch. Quinn Fabray 1, Shannon Peterson 0.

"So since we're on the topic of impending nuptials, how are the wedding plans coming along?" Blaine asked as he accepted a refill from Puck who had helped himself to the liquor cabinet of the last house he had been to that day. He was sleeping with the housewife so he knew it would be okay. Gesturing towards the bottle to Quinn and Rachel, both girls declined, but accepted the soft drinks Tina had returned with. Thanking the girl, Rachel turned towards Blaine while also snuggling into Quinn's side who had wrapped her arm around her waist.

"Well Daddy got in contact with one of his associates at a law firm in Connecticut, and he's going to get the marriage certificate drawn up in time for the wedding, so on the actual day all we have to do is sign our names and then he'll pass it through the courts so that it's all legal. We'll be a recognised married couple. My daddy's just have to give their consent to me getting married since I'm only seventeen but other than that everything else should be a piece of cake," Rachel said happily, receiving a gentle squeeze from Quinn who was basking in the joy of knowing that soon she would be a married woman. She would finally have a family of her own. One who loved and accepted her.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah that's great but let's get down to the nitty gritty here. I need to know dresses, colour schemes and all that good stuff," Kurt exclaimed as he listed items off on his fingers. The group laughed at him, any chance at being able to help organise a soiree, Kurt turned into the gay bridezilla. Everything had to be perfect, even when it wasn't his own function. Quinn shook her head, planning a wedding was never going to be simple with Kurt on board, but at least she knew they had friends they could depend on to help.

"Well since the wedding is close to summer, we decided on bright colours, so for the bridesmaids we were thinking lilac or violet, with light fabric. And for the groomsmen, we're thinking simple black tux suits with ties. We just want something simple," Rachel stated matter of factly. Quinn nodded in agreement. "Yeah which means all you guys better be available for fittings over the next couple weeks," she said gesturing at everyone with her free arm. Tina smiled as she noticed that the blonde was pointing at all the Glee Clubbers.

"Wait, you want us all to be your bridesmaids?" she asked, "And your groomsmen?" Mike added from her side. Quinn and Rachel beamed at each other before turning back to face the group. "Well we did say we wanted you all to be in the wedding. Of course we want _all_ our closest friends standing by our side," Quinn announced. The whole group cheered. Everyone feeling honoured to be playing such an important part in the wedding. "As long as I get to stand next to my Jew babe I'm down with whatever," Puck said with a lopsided grin. Rachel smiled and raised her glass to him and he reciprocated the gesture.

"But there's one thing we gotta do before any wedding takes place?" Rachel said and the whole group suddenly sat silently and looked questioningly. The diva looked at everyone with a smile. "We gotta kick Vocal Adrenaline's ass at Nationals," she exclaimed . Everyone broke into a chorus of whoops and "hell yeah's", not caring that everyone around them was looking. Once all the battle talk was done the Glee Clubbers went about enjoying the rest of the night. While everyone chattered away happily, Quinn excused herself to get another drink. Walking towards the kitchen, her path was suddenly blocked by the familiar sight of red, white and black material. Shannon.

"Wow, Q, marrying the sick girl. How noble of you," Shannon said with mocking tone, a sultry grin creeping across her face. Quinn stood up a little straighter, her anger threatening to boil over. "Excuse me?" the blonde finally asked as she glared at the brunette standing in front of her. Shannon let out a laugh as she glanced over Quinn's shoulder at the girl standing in the way of her getting what she wanted. "Come on Q, we both know the only reason you proposed to her is 'cause you feel bad. You want me, you just don't have the heart to break up with her because she has cancer." At this point Quinn was seeing red. Her in HBIC was screaming at her to let loose and cause Shannon physical bodily harm. Her mind was drifting, so much so, that she didn't even notice Santana standing behind her watching on, always ready to back her up.

Until suddenly Quinn clenched and unclenched her fist, her posture softening, she was not going to give Shannon the satisfaction of seeing her react. "You know what. You're right. What you said to me that day on the bleachers made me realise what it is I really want," Quinn said as she stood closer to Shannon, leaning in to talk directly into her ear, "And what I want, is Rachel. So really I should be thanking you. Because if it wasn't for you we wouldn't be getting married soon," she finished as she cocked a smile at the cheerleader before shoving past her and walking into the kitchen. Santana stood laughing hysterically at the pissed off look on Shannon's face. The Latina walked up to her and looked her up and down "Pathetic," she said before following after Quinn.

Feeling scorned, Shannon stormed off in a huff, but was stopped when she bumped into someone. "Watch it," she shouted as she turned to look down at the person who had invaded her space. "I'm sorry," came the reply. The cheerleader instantly recognised who she had crossed paths with. "You're Rachel right, Quinn Fabray's girlfriend," she said, playing dumb. Rachel nodded her head slightly as she adjusted her cardigan. She glanced at the overdressed boy standing next to the smaller girl, she recognised him, but couldn't remember his name. "I just want you to know that whenever she's finally had enough of you and wants someone who has a good chance of a life span that surpasses five minutes, I'll be waiting," she said before purposely shoving Rachel hard with her shoulder as she passed by.

"Ow," Rachel muttered as she gripped her shoulder. Kurt stood and watched Shannon walk away, appalled at what he had just seen. Turning quickly to face his friend, he gripped her by her upper arm and leaned down to look her in the eye. "Oh my God, are you okay?" he asked. Rachel stood there for a second trying to gather her composure. Suddenly she felt something trickle down her chest. "I, I need to use the bathroom," she stuttered as she bolted for the stairs. Kurt looked on bewildered before noticing Quinn and Santana walking in his direction from the kitchen.

"Quinn you need to go after Rachel she's in the bathroom upstairs," he said hurriedly. Quinn looked at him confused, before panic set in. "Why what happened?" she asked as set her drink down on a cabinet that was close to where they were standing. "Shannon Peterson is what happened," he replied with a scowl. Without needing to hear another word, Quinn ran down the hallway and up the stairs followed close behind by Kurt and Santana. Once she reached the top she made a beeline for the bathroom, passed the que of people waiting to use it. Walking up to the door she began knocking furiously at the door.

"Rach, baby it's me, open the door," she said as she waited for a response. A second later she heard the sound of the door unlocking and he burst into the bathroom, followed by her friends, Kurt shutting the door behind him. Rachel was standing at the sink dabbing her dress with a cloth, it was blood stained. Quinn's face quickly changed from one of panic to one of worry. "Oh God, Rach what happened," she asked as she stood next to Rachel and took the cloth from her fiancée's hand. Rachel looked up at her sheepishly. "It's okay, the cap on my catheter came loose. I'm fine," she said. Quinn shook her head. "You're not fine. What happened with Shannon?" the blonde asked as she began dabbing Rachel's chest area gently as not to cause further damage.

Rachel glanced at Santana and Kurt who were looking at her, but not with sympathy, with looks of intent, like they were preparing to unleash hell on the party. Turning back to face Quinn she found those hazel eyes she loved staring down at her with concern and she melted. "She told me that it was only a matter of time before you ditched me for someone who had a longer life expectancy and that she would be waiting when that happened," Rachel uttered out quietly as she lowered her head to gaze at her hands that were being held be Quinn.

That was it. Quinn's anger had reach boiling point and before anyone could stop her she was out the door and down the stairs before anyone could stop her. Within seconds she found Shannon standing in the living room joking around with some other Cheerio's. "Hey," Quinn called out and when Shannon looked up, _SMACK,_ Quinn sent her fist swinging at the girls face and sent her flying back onto the coffee table which collapsed under the force of her fall. Rachel, Kurt, Santana and everyone else watched on as Quinn turned the Cheerio inside out.

"That's for what you said to my _fiancée_," Quinn shouted, exaggerating the last word to get the point across. Not wanting to spend another minute looking at the girl, the blonde turned on her heel and walked over to where Rachel was standing. Just as Shannon was getting up, nursing her clearly bloody nose, Santana stepped forward and stood in front of the girl. When Shannon looked up, the Latina shot her smug smile before sending her fist into the girls face and sending her crashing back down on the crumpled pile of rubble on the ground. "And that's just 'cause I can," she said, linking pinkies with Brittany when her girlfriend fell into step beside her.

"Babe, are you okay? Do you wanna leave?" Quinn asked as she ran her hands up and down Rachel's arms trying to offer some sort of comfort from the motion. Rachel simply nodded her head as she self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest to try and hide the blood stains on her dress and cardigan. Blaine, who had been standing with Kurt watching the two girls walked up to them and jingled his car keys, "I can drive you home. Kurt's going to get a ride home with Finn so it's no trouble," he said. Quinn smiled at the dark haired boy and thanked him before escorting Rachel to Blaine's car.

The car ride home is silent. There's a dull aching in Quinn's hand from punching Shannon but she ignores it to reach out and grasp Rachel's to get some sort of reaction from the girl. But all she gets is a faint smile and before Rachel turns her head back towards the window and watched the passing street lights fly past. Once the reach the Berry house, it's dark, but there is a small amount of light coming from the hall light Quinn left on before they left. Hiram and Leroy were out of town for a work conference of Hiram's so they girls were home alone for the night.

Getting out of the car, they thanked Blaine for the ride home and he waited patiently in the car for them to enter the house before pulling out of the driveway and heading home. Once inside, Quinn locked the door and watched Rachel's retreating figure as the diva headed up stairs to her room. Walking to the kitchen, Quinn removed an ice pack from the freezer and wrapped a towel around it before clutching it to her already bruising knuckles. Switching off the light in the kitchen, Quinn made her way upstairs.

Entering the bedroom she found Rachel sitting on the bed gently clutching Quinn's stuffed lamb. The blonde walked around the bed and sat down next to her fiancée trying to read the diva's features to figure out what was going on in that head of hers. "Hey, talk to me. What's going on in there?" Quinn asked as she put down the ice pack and removed the lamb from Rachel's grasp so she could hold her hand. Rachel turned to face Quinn, but quickly diverted her gaze downwards because she knew she wouldn't be able to speak if she was looking Quinn in the eye.

"It's just, what Shannon said, it made me think," the spoke softly, but she knew by the way Quinn's hands tensed that she was trying not to interrupt, "If something happens, if I don't beat this thing….," Rachel stopped momentarily when she heard Quinn's deep intake of breath, indicating that she was trying not to break. "I want you to move on and be happy. I want you to find somebody to love, who loves you and know that I'm okay with it," Rachel said as she tried to hold back her tears as the thought of not being with Quinn caused a piece of her heart to break.

"No, no you listen to me. Okay you do not get to say those things to me, do you hear me," Quinn said as she cupped the side of Rachel's neck and gazed into brown eyes. "You are going to beat this thing and do you know why? Because you are the love of my life and I will never love anyone else," the blonde said through her tears. "So you are going to get better because I do NOT want to live my life alone. Okay!" Rachel wiped away her tears and nodded her head, "O-Okay," she replied. Quinn stroked the side of Rachel's face, her thumb wiping away the tear tracks on her cheek.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up. Rachel stood up and headed towards the bathroom, while Quinn pulled out so clothes for the diva to change into. Walking to the dresser, she pulled out a pair of sleep shorts and her old Cheerio's t-shirt that Rachel loved to wear. She quickly changed herself into some night clothes and then walking into the bathroom, she placed the clothes she had picked out on the edge of the bath tub and then looked at Rachel. Removing the girls cardigan she tossed it in the laundry basket and when she turned around Rachel was standing with her arms over her chest.

"You don't have to help me I-I can do it on my own," Rachel said shyly. Gazing down, Quinn noticed that one of Rachel's hands was currently cradling the area where the chest catheter was resting. Instantly the former Cheerio knew why Rachel was trying to push her away. She didn't want her to see her exposed chest. Quinn had never seen Rachel undressed and vice versa, but she knew that at this particular moment it was more to do with feeling self-conscious than wanting to save herself for marriage.

"Rach, it's okay. Trust me," Quinn said as she cradled Rachel's face in the palm of her hand. Rachel released a shaky breath, before slowly lowering her arms and turning around, allowing the blonde to unzip the dress and watch as it fell to the ground and pooled at her feet. Slowly, the diva turned back around to face her lover and when she did she, Quinn immediately captured her lips in her own to sooth the smaller girls discomfort and was rewarded when she felt Rachel relax. After breaking the kiss, she pecked Rachel on the forehead and then turned towards the sink and removed the wash cloth from the warm soapy water.

With the gentlest of touches, Quinn wiped away the dried blood that marked the diva's skin, stopping for a moment to rinse out the cloth. When she had cleared the outer areas, the blond focused on the chest catheter and the tubes that were being held in place by a medical band aid. Wrapping the cloth round her pointer finger she softly dabbed away the remaining remnants of dried blood and when she was done she tossed the wash cloth in the basket and pulled the stop plug out of the sink to allow the slightly reddish water pour down the drain.

Facing the diva, Quinn stroked her cheek with the back of her hand and leaned down to place a chaste kiss to those lips she couldn't live without. Then she trailed her way down, kissing the diva's jawline, her neck and finally placed a long lingering kiss on Rachel's chest next to the catheter. Standing back up, she reached across for the clothes she had brought in earlier helped her fiancée dress before they headed out of the en suite and made their way to the bed. Removing the extra pillows and all other items and they climbed under the duvet. Quinn opened up her arms and Rachel instantly settled herself into the embrace and rested her head on the blonde's chest. The sound of her heartbeat helping to lull her to sleep, and with that they drifted off, leaving behind the events of the night to make way for a new day.

**Okay so I know I said that we would find out where all the other graduating Gleeks would end up in this chapter, but it didn't seem to fit in with the flow of the chapter so I'm thinking I might leave it until the Nationals chapter to go along as dialogue between all the Gleeks. **

**So the next chapter is nationals…yay! And along with all the fun that entails, Rachel will ask Mr. Shue to do something important for Quinn. **

**So almost at 50 reviews… If this chapter manages to push over the mark, I promise to spend the next week posting updates. Also I'm writing this fic for you guys so if you have an ideas or suggestions as to where you would like this to go or what you like to see happen or included, please feel free to voice your ideas. They could change the outcome of the story. Talk to you soon!**


	11. Chapter 8

**Hey guys. I'm sorry for the delay in updating, I know I promised to post a few updates throughout the week but I had a bit of an accident last week and put my back out, so I've been laid up in pain the last few days. On top of that My great aunt passed away today so it's been a pretty hectic and draining few days. Anyways, here's the next update. Please note that in this chapter we only focus on whether or not the Glee Club make it to the finals at Nationals so I didn't focus to strongly on actual performances. Anyways hope you enjoy and thank you all so much for the reviews.**

The sound of retching coming from the bathroom stopped Quinn mid packing, as she gently put the items in her hand down on the bed and turned her head to face the bathroom door. Rachel had been running to the bathroom every ten minutes since returning home from chemo that morning and had been trapped in the bathroom for the past half hour with her head over the toilet bowl. Quinn wanted to be in there rubbing her back and dabbing a cool cloth over the diva's neck, but Rachel had insisted that the blonde finish packing their bag.

The day of Nationals had arrived and the New Directions were due to at McKinley High at two o'clock to board the bus for the four hour ride to Chicago. After consulting with the doctor, it was deemed okay for Rachel to join her fellow Glee Clubbers for the competition. However he had been more than adamant that the singer was to spend almost all her downtime before, during and after the actual competition resting and extra precautions were to be taken to make sure that she didn't pick up any infections or ailments.

Quinn had been living in Grand Central Panic Station the entire week leading up to Nationals. There was no way Rachel would miss an opportunity to sing one last time with the New Directions, but the blonde wanted to be selfish and tell her to stay home. The wedding was a mere three weeks away and the last thing Quinn wanted to happen was for Rachel to end up in the hospital again, especially when they were so close to beginning the rest of their lives together. But she couldn't take this away from the diva. So she vowed to herself to watch over Rachel like a hawk and bring her home from Chicago in the best shape possible.

Stepping away from the bed, Quinn walked up to the bathroom door and nudged it open. Rachel was sitting on the floor with her back pressed up against the bath tub and her arm draped over the toilet bowl, her head hanging low, chin to chest. Quinn could feel her heartbeat skip a beat and her breathing hitch in her chest, she had seen Rachel in such a state numerous times, but no matter how many times she witnessed it, she could never get used to it. The sight would evoke an overwhelming feeling of pain and fear that tore through her chest like a dagger being twisted through her heart. All she wanted to do was make everything better, but the only thing she could actually do, was hold the diva as wave after wave of poison seeped through her veins, sending Rachel spiralling into a torturous pit of despair.

Crossing the short distance to the other side of the bathroom, Quinn crouched down and wrapped her arm around Rachel's shoulders. The gesture pulled the diva from her post nausea induced daze and she looked up at the swirling pools of hazel and gold staring down at her softly in concern. Reaching up her hand she cupped Quinn's cheek and stroked it gently with the pad of her thumb. "Hey," she said in a quiet voice. Quinn wrapped her hand around the wrist of Rachel's hand that was still stroking her cheek and as she stared into those beautiful brown eyes, all she could see was tiredness, but there was a subtle hint of the old Rachel Berry determination swimming around in there too.

"So um, the bag is pretty much packed. I've got extra clothes to cover anything that comes up, toiletries, cell phone charger. I've packed some of the home care supplies the doctor gave us this morning," Quinn listed off as she tried to keep herself from begging Rachel to just stay home. The diva found her fiancées ramblings adorable, even though she knew exactly what the blonde was trying to do. "I've got your iPod in my handbag and some lollipops to suck on to settle your stomach if you feel sick. I've got those pills the doctor gave you for your nausea, do you want to take it now or wait till we're on the bus?" Quinn asked as she played with the material of Rachel's head scarf that was hanging over the diva's shoulder.

"No, no I'll wait till we're on the bus. It's a long bus ride, they'll last longer if I take them closer to when we're actually leaving," Rachel said as she began to ease herself off the floor with Quinn's help. Standing at the sink, she picked up her toothbrush which Quinn had not yet packed and squirted a generous amount of toothpaste on the brush before brushing her teeth to get rid of the dreadful taste in her mouth. The worst part about having to vomit every couple of minutes was the fact that after the first one or two times, you have nothing left in your stomach to come up, nothing except bile and blood which left a bitter metallic taste in your mouth. Something Rachel just couldn't get used to.

"Yo, Puckasaurs in the house." Puck walked into the girls shared bedroom and planted himself on the bed. He picked up a throw pillow and twirled around in his hand as we waited for the girls to appear. The sound of shuffling feet across the carpet caught his attention and he shot Quinn a quick smile as she walked over to the bag on the bed to finish packing the last of their stuff. "You two almost ready to go?" he asked as he looked at the clock by the bed. Quinn glanced toward the bathroom and could see Rachel finishing up through the reflection of the mirror.

"Yep, almost. Rachel's just cleaning up," Quinn said with a look that told Puck all he needed to know. He nodded his head as he put the throw pillow back down and cast a fleeting glance towards the bathroom and the shuffled closer to the end of the bed. "Hey, so how do you think she's gonna hold up at Nationals? Do you think she has it in her to go the distance? You know, if we place in the top ten and have a shot at competing for the title?" he asked in a hushed voice. Quinn could see it in Puck's eyes that he was asking the question out of genuine concern for Rachel rather than wondering about their hopes of winning should their star singer need to bow out early.

"Honestly, I don't know," Quinn replied as she folded the cardigan she had been holding in her hands and placed it in the bag. "When I look at her I can see the determination in eyes, you know that fire she gets when comps come up. I just, Rachel's drive and passion has always been there to push her to do her best. I'm just not sure she physically has it in her to keep up," Quinn said quietly, as if mourning the loss of that part of Rachel that had been responsible for so much of the Glee clubs success in the past. Before Puck could respond, Rachel stepped into the room, toothbrush in hand and placed it in the toiletries carrier bag before handing it to Quinn who put it in the big gym bag that they were using to carry all their stuff.

"So we all good to go? Trucks out front waiting to go," Puck said as he stood up. Rachel nodded her head in confirmation and just as Quinn was about to lift the bag off the bed, Puck obliged and picked it up for her, his bicep flexing under his tight fitting shirt as he grabbed a hold of the handles. Walking out of the room, he made his way downstairs as Rachel put on Quinn's hoody to keep warm while the blonde put on her favourite denim jacket, rolling it at the sleeves before pulling her oversized handbag onto her shoulder and guiding the diva out the door.

The trio engaged in idle chit chat in the car ride to McKinley, Puck and Rachel even went as far as organising scare tactics to throw Vocal Adrenaline off their game while Quinn sat back and shook her head at their antics. They really were like brother and sister. Pulling up into the car park they saw the rest of the New Directions all standing outside the coach bus with their bags. As it was Nationals and Sue was helping out, she had insisted on more comfortable transport, so the usual big yellow bus had been ditched. No way was Sue Sylvester travelling on a stingy school bus.

Climbing out of the truck, Quinn and Rachel walked hand and hand towards the rest of the group while Puck grabbed the bags and followed behind. Kurt and Tina seemed to physically relax once they had laid eyes on Rachel. Clearly they had been panicking over their chances of winning the competition. "Oh thanks Christ and all his relatives you're here. I thought we were gonna have to eject ourselves from the competition," Kurt exclaimed rather dramatically. "I thought you were an atheist?" Blaine interjected smirking at his boyfriends over reaction to the situation.

"Right now I'd be willing to pray to all the Gods that we make it through the next two days with, at the very least, our dignity in," the feminine boy replied as he stroked his neatly groomed hair. Everyone laughed at his antics, but deep down they were hoping for the same. While waiting for Mr. Shue and Coach Sylvester to show up the group all stood around in mini groups and fell into comfortable conversation which was quickly interrupted with the sound of that familiar booming voice. "Alright you group of incompetent Nancy's, grab your stuff and load up we got us a National's title to win," Sue hollered with a grin on her face and a softness in her eye. She may have grown to love the diverse group of misfits but she couldn't resist injecting a bit of old Sue into their gatherings, much to everyone's amusement. They had grown equally grown to love her snide remarks, because they were no longer laced with hate, but rather mutual respect.

Climbing onto the bus everyone quickly broke off into their own seating arrangements. Santana next to Brittany, who sat close by to Rachel and Quinn, Sugar and Rory sat nearby to Sam and Mercedes, Kurt and Blaine sat across from Tina and Mike, while Puck, Finn, Joe and Artie made up a little bro camp near the disabled seating because it had the most leg room. Everyone made sure to scatter themselves around the bus to leave extra seating around them should people decide they wanted to stretch out and sleep. Sue and Will took up residence in the front seats and Will waved goodbye to Ms. Pillsbury who had shown up to wish them luck. With that, the bus set off for Chicago and the last competition many of the Glee clubbers would ever participate in.

At eight thirty that night, the New Directions bounded into their designated green room after performing their set list that they hoped would see them through to the finals. Everyone stood around high fiving each other, Rachel congratulated Santana on her stunning solo performance, before retreating to the couch to sit down. Resting her arm on the armrest, she held her head in her hand and closed her eyes. Quinn who had been giggling and talking with Mercedes and Tina, noticed Rachel from where she was standing and excused herself and made her way across the room. Once she reached the couch she kneeled down in front of the diva.

"Babe, you okay?" she asked as she rubbed Rachel's forearm that was draped across her stomach. Looking up with tired eyes, the diva gave a weak smile and shifted her arm to take a hold of the blonde's hand. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine, the chemo, the trip and the performance just drained me I guess. I'll be fine once I get some sleep," she said with a reassuring smile. Quinn smiled a little and leaned forward capturing her love's lips in her own giving her a gentle kiss. The girls broke apart when Will and Sue came walking into the room. Everyone fell into complete silence as they waited for baited breath to hear if the placed or not. Sue and Will shared a look before turning back to face the group.

"You losers better get some sleep, we've gotta kick some ass tomorrow at finals!" Sue declared with a clap of her hands. Cheers erupted from the teens as they all pounce on each other, hugging friends and kissing significant others. Quinn and Rachel rested their foreheads together and with beaming smiles on their faces they crashed their lips together in a sloppy but happy kiss that expressed their joy before finally pulling apart. "We did it. We placed," Rachel exclaimed in a high pitched squeal before launching herself into Quinn's arms almost knocking the girl over in the process.

"Alright everybody grab your stuff and make your way out to the bus. We've got an early morning tomorrow so you all better get as much sleep as you can when we get back to the hotel," Mr. Shue said as he gestured for everyone to make their way out of the room. One by one the Glee clubbers filed out, following Sue towards the exit. As Quinn and Rachel were about to leave, Rachel tugged on the blonde's hand and stopped her in her tracks. "Hey you go ahead, I want to talk to Mr. Shue about the solo tomorrow. I'll be right out, promise," she said as the blonde looked at her with concerned eyes before nodding and making her way out.

"Mr. Shue can I ask you something? It's really important," she asked as she stood in front of the man she had come to know as somewhat of a third father and close friend. "Of course, nothings the matter is it?" he asked as he gestured for her to sit on the couch with him. Rachel shook her head. "No, no nothings the matter. It's just, well the weddings a coming up soon and well, Quinn admit to this, but her parents have refused to come to the wedding. And I know she's putting on a brave face but I can tell it's hurting her. Her own family can't accept her and come to the wedding," Rachel said and watched as Will nodded his head in understanding. What young girl wouldn't want her family to stand by her as she got married?

"Every girl deserves to have somebody stand up for them at their wedding. I'm fortunate to have two dads to walk me down the aisle and stand for me. Quinn deserves that too. Which is why I was wondering if you would do the honour of walking her down the aisle and standing for her at our wedding?" Rachel asked, her voice tinged with nerves. Will gasped, his mind running a mile a minute at what his star singer was asking. "You've been a huge part of all our lives. You've been a teacher, a brother, a friend. You've even been a parent. You've been a father to all of us. The kind of father someone like Quinn deserves. So will you do it?" she asked. Will bit down on his bottom lip, tears of happiness welling up in his eyes, he loved all those kids and he was beyond overwhelmed to hear how much he meant to them. Placing a hand on Rachel's he smiled. "I would be honoured," he said. With that they embraced and then exited the room to catch up with the others, tiredness getting the better of them all.

The rooming arrangements had caused some arguments amongst the Glee Clubbers. Sam and Mercedes, Santana and Brittany, Mike and Tina, Kurt and Blaine and Sugar and Rory had been informed that they would not be rooming with their other halves. A decision that did not go down well with Santana. Instead, Mercedes was rooming with Tina, Brittany with Sugar, Santana with Kurt, Blaine with Mike and Sam with Rory. The only couple who were given special consideration were Quinn and Rachel, since the blonde was well equipped to take care of the diva should she feel unwell.

After climbing out of the shower, putting on her sweatpants and t-shirt and brushing her teeth, Quinn re-emerged into the bedroom to find Rachel removing the medi-care pack from their bag and putting it on the bed before grabbing her night clothes. Removing her head scarf she neatly folded it and put on top of the dresser table and then turned to Quinn who was waiting patiently with a small rectangular flimsy plastic, like cling film, in her hand and some medical tape. Helping her fiancée out of her clothes she waited until Rachel had removed her bra, and then gently positioning the tubes from the catheter, she placed the covering over it and while Rachel held it in place, she taped it up to prevent it getting wet in the shower.

"Does that feel okay?" Quinn asked as she finished placing the last piece of tape. Rachel nodded her head and kissed the blonde and then made her way into the bathroom to shower. Sitting on the bed, Quinn reached into her handbag and removed a brochure for the Hilton Hotel in Columbus. She smiled as she opened it to the page she had bookmarked. With the help of Leroy and Hiram, Quinn had booked a suite for her and Rachel to stay in the night of their wedding, if it was going to be their first time, she wanted to make sure it was special for her soon to be wife.

At the sound of the shower turning off, Quinn quickly stashed the brochure away and stood up, walking to the end of the bed and picking up some of the medical supplies. The bathroom door opened and Rachel emerged through a cloud of steam, her sleep shorts on and the towel wrapped around her top half. Sitting on the bed, dropped the towel and watched on as Quinn removed the now wet plastic covering and threw it in the trash can. Picking up an antiseptic wipe, she gentely dabbed the area around the catheter, making sure to clean as much of the area as possible. Tossing the wipe away she picked up the tube of cream and placed a small amount on the tip of her pointer finger and slowly rubbed it onto the area where the catheter was inserted. Rachel catching another infection was not something Quinn wanted happening anytime soon.

Picking up a small white package, she ripped it open and removed the gauze, the bandage and the tape. Fixing the tubes into the most comfortable position, she laid the gauze over it and then the light bandaging before taping it up and disposing if the wrappers. Leaning down she kissed Rachel and the diva thanked her as she put on her t-shirt and placed their discarded in a neat little bundle on the dresser, ready to be packed tomorrow. Removing the extra pillows the girls climbed under the heavy duvet and settle in for the night, Rachel on her side with Quinn spooning her from behind, her arm gently resting over the diva's stomach.

"Oh by the way, how did your talk with Mr. Shue go? Is everything okay?" Quinn asked as she gently squeezed the girl I her arms. Rachel nodded her head and quickly came up with a fib to tell the blonde, not wanting her to know about what she had really asked Will. "Eh yeah everything is fine. I just wanted to make sure my performance for my solo was up to par," she said as she ran her hand up and down Quinn's forearm that was resting against her stomach. She felt Quinn place a kiss behind her ear and it sent shivers down her spine. "You'll be amazing Rach. You always are," Quinn said through her smile. Rachel turned her head back to face the blonde and their lips met in light kiss, and once they parted Rachel lay her head back on the pillow and snuggled further into Quinn's embrace, silently praying that tomorrow would be the day that the New Directions would reign victorious.

**So the Glee Club placed for the finals! Happy Days! Next chapter we will actually have the Glee Club perform and we'll find out whether or not they take down Vocal Adrenaline (which also means a familiar face will return . It's going to be fun but it won't all be smooth sailing…. oh dear. Hope you liked it and don't forget to leave a review. I love hearing your thoughts.**


	12. Chapter 9

**Here it is, the finals! Sorry it took so long but I was trying to figure out what songs to use for the competition. Anyways hope you enjoy it and once again thank you for the reviews!**

"Quinn, did you bring my nausea pills?" Rachel asked as the entire Glee club stood around in the main entrance lobby of the Arie Crown Theatre, the host venue of the 2012 Nationals competition. The group were waiting for Mr. Shue and Coach Sylvester to return from the sign up station. Quinn turned to look at Rachel who was holding her hand to her stomach and had her eyes scrunched closed, the diva was obviously struggling with the urge to be sick. Reaching into her handbag, Quinn removed the bottle of pills and then turned to face Brittany who was standing next to them.

"Hey, B, could you run to the vending machine we past a couple minutes ago and get me a bottle of water?" she asked. Brittany smiled at her and nodded her before turning to Santana and explaining where she was going. The Latina smiled at her and unlinked their pinkies and watched as the tall blonde ran off to get the water. Turning back around she moved over to stand in the spot her girlfriend had just vacated and looked at Quinn who was rubbing soothing circles on Rachel's back. "Hey shorty, how you holdin up?" she asked the diva, a warm smile gracing her face.

Rachel opened her eyes momentarily to smile at Santana before she close them again, the sight of people running and racing around her making her feel the urge to vomit. "I'll be okay, I just need to take one of the pills the doctor gave me and I'll be fine," she said as she leaned her head against Quinn's shoulder. All three girls turned at the sound of Brittany running up to them, bottle of water in hand and her usual smile plastered across her face. As she linked her pinkie with Santana, she handed the bottle to Quinn who thanked her and then handed her handbag to Santana to hold.

Opening the pill bottle she poured one of the capsules into her hand and then fastened the cap back on and handed it to the Latina to place back in her handbag. Rachel graciously took the pill from Quinn and then took a sip of the offered water. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Rachel stopped the movement when she picked up the overwhelming scent of a familiar cologne that was growing stronger by the minute. The three girls standing next to her all looked at her curiously. "Rach, are you okay?" Quinn asked as she ran her hand up and down her fiancée's arm.

"Well, well. We meet again." The theatrical tone of voice drew the attention of every member of the Glee club who all turned in order to face the one person they had never expected to see again after last year's disastrous campaign for National's glory. Stepping out from behind Quinn, Rachel moved forward and looked up into those green eyes that once fooled her into believing that they cared deeply for her. With one shaky breath she breathed out in a low almost whispered tone, "Jesse." Before anyone could process what was going on, Rachel suddenly, and without warning, collapsed into the boy's arms, catching him, and everyone else by surprise, before the whole group descended into a state of panic.

Mere minutes later, Rachel found herself lying on a couch in the green room, her head being propped up by a pillow. The paramedics who had tended to her informed the group that she had fainted due to a slight case of dehydration, although the stress of chemo was probably playing its part in the small drama as well. Now, as she lay there with a damp cloth resting on her forehead, Rachel glanced up to look at Quinn who was sitting on a chair next to the couch clutching her hand with a vice like grip. She could see tear stains adorning the blonde girls pale cheeks and it broke Rachel's heart. Reaching up the hand that wasn't currently being held onto, she gently wiped away her fiancées tears. The action causing Quinn to lift her head and glance back at her as Rachel rested her hand on the side of the girls face and stroked her cheek with her thumb.

"Hey, I'm okay," Rachel said as she stared up into hazel eyes and gave the blonde a reassuring smile. Quinn placed a hand on top of the one that was cupping her cheek and nuzzled into it, basking in the feeling of being comforted by the woman she loved. "I know, I just, when you collapsed like that, it scared me so much," Quinn replied under a shaky breath, trying to hold back the sob that was threatening to escape. "Hey, hey, c'mere," Rachel said as she gestured for Quinn to lean down. Doing as the diva asked, Quinn lifted herself from her chair and leaned down towards Rachel and when she was close enough, she felt small arms wrap around her and engulf her in a tight hug. Wrapping her own arms the tiny diva, Quinn nuzzled into Rachel's neck and they stayed like that until Quinn was ready to let go.

Placing a lingering kiss against Rachel's neck, Quinn finally disengages the hug and sits back down. Removing the cloth from her head, Rachel pushes herself up into a sitting position and reaches out her hand to the blonde, who smiles at the gesture and laces their fingers together. Their moment alone was cut short by the arrival of Jesse St. James, his hands behind his back as he stood next to the couch and smiled at both girls. "You know when I envisioned how we would meet again, I expected fierce competition, or even a dramatic showdown worth of a Tony. But never did I expect you to fall for me," he said with a flash of arrogance that only Jesse himself seemed to be capable of.

Rachel frowned at the insensitivity of the statement, considering it was plain to see for anyone with eyes that she was quite obviously, a very sick girl. But her reaction was nothing compared to Quinn, whose boiling point had just sky rocketed out of orbit and exploded into a supernova of anger making its way back to earth ready to implode on the poor fool standing next to where she was sitting. Before she could stand up and cause Jesse permanent bodily harm, Puck came rushing up and gently laid a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. "Why don't you and me take a walk and calm down before you end up doin' twenty to life," he said as he gently led the girl away. Both of them looked at Santana who gave them a nod and a look that told them she was there for Rachel.

"Sorry that was probably insensitive. But I'm sure you can appreciate the drama of it," he said as he sat in the seat that was now vacant. Rachel scowled at him before slowly swinging her feet over the side of the couch and sitting up. Jesse rolled up the sleeves of his suit jacket that were wrapped in the sleeves of his shirt, giving him the look of someone who was sophisticated, yet casual. After all, he was only nineteen. He didn't to blend in with every other male choir coach in the building. "Shelby heard about your cancer. She wanted me to check up on you, see how you're doing," he said, getting straight to the point.

If there was one thing Rachel could always count on, it was that Jesse would always be honest with her, even if at times he was brutal. But this was not what she had counted on hearing. This whole thing felt like dejá vu to her, like she was sixteen again and Shelby was using Jesse to do what she was too much of a coward to do. Only this time, they were all wiser from past experience. This time Rachel had the power to stand up and walk away. Just like Shelby had done to her during her sophomore year and she was going to make damn sure that she didn't allow herself to be put into a situation to be hurt again.

"You can tell Shelby that she lost the right to know anything about me when she decided to walk away from me for a second time two years ago," Rachel said in a tone that was low but still expressed her anger. "If she really cared about me she would have found out for herself instead of sending her messenger." With that, Rachel stood up with every intention of going after Quinn, but just as she was about to leave, the very thought of the blonde stopped Rachel in her tracks and she turned back to face Jesse. "Oh, there is something you can tell her though. Quinn and I are engaged, we're getting married after graduation and then we're going to Yale together. She's going to be my family. The _only_ family I will ever need. Goodbye Jesse," Rachel said as she walked off and finally left her ex in the past.

Santana, Mercedes and Tina all silently praised the diva for finally having the courage to stand up to Jesse and put him in his place. The Latina even chuckled to herself which caught the attention of the other two girls. "Wow, I've said a lot of shit about Berry in the past but this is something I thought I'd never say, that girl just made me feel like a proud mama right then. Crazy, I know," she said as she held up her hands at the two beaming girls who couldn't help feeling the same way. Standing up, Mercedes and Tina walked over to far corner of the room were some of the other gleeks were sitting around having random idle chit-chat. Before following, Santana turned to face a dejected looking Jesse, who's show face reappeared once he realised he was being watched.

"Hey St. Jackass, you best gets gone before Q and Rachel get back cause I guarantee you blondie will castrate you with her bare hands if she so much as smells your cheap cologne in the room," Santana said as she gestured around the open hall were many of the other show choirs were congregated, waiting to be shown to their individual green rooms. "I suggest you go find that little burned out reject choir you care so much about and keep walking towards the exit, cause this year, we gonna bring the pain," Santana said, making sure her warning shot was heard, before walking off to where the rest of the club was sitting. Taking one last look at his former club, Jesse stood up, straightened himself out, and left.

"So you cool? Or do I need to go call a medic and have you sedated?" Puck asked with a sarcastic tone as he and Quinn sat on a bench outside the building, watching the traffic pass by. Quinn looked at him with an arched brow and then playfully smacked him on the arm. It was funny to think that this was the same guy who had taken advantage of Quinn's insecurities just so that he could have sex, granted it takes two to tango and Quinn was rather willing that night, but still, the Puck she knew back then only cared about one thing himself. The blonde couldn't blame him though, she had spent most of her junior and high school career only caring about her wants and needs and she didn't care who she had to walk over to get it.

But all that changed when Rachel Berry entered the picture. Suddenly everything Quinn thought she cared about became insignificant. Everything she thought that mattered became unimportant. Dreams she thought were ridiculous were no longer just dreams, but they were goals. Goals she was on her way to achieving, and people she once tried to avoid like the plague, were now more than just friends, they were family. All because of Rachel Berry. Because of Rachel, Quinn had a dream life and more importantly, she had someone who loved her completely and unconditionally, even with all her flaws. Quinn felt like the luckiest girl in the world and she was going to make damn well sure she spent the rest of her life making sure that Rachel knows how much she loves her and how thankful she is to have her in her life.

But it wasn't just her own life Rachel had affected, the pint sized diva was in fact responsible for changing the lives of every member of the Glee Club without even realising it. If it hadn't been for Rachel's drive and ambition, the Glee club would have fallen apart when Mr. Shue thought about walking away and taking a job as an accountant. Instead of allowing the club to crumble in around her, Rachel took matters into her own hands pushed ahead and because of it Mr. Shue saw their potential and believed in them enough to stay. That single act, that moment of sheer willpower would effectively see the Glee Club continue through all manner of adversity and change the lives of it's Glee club members.

If it weren't for Glee club, Quinn and Santana would still be struggling with their sexuality and supressing it, rather than living openly, free of all the internal struggle and pain. Tina would still be hiding behind a pretend stutter because she didn't have the confidence to believe in herself. Mercedes never would have had the self-esteem she needed to believe that a boy could genuinely like her and neither girl would have met the guys they were now happily committed to if Mike and Sam never had Glee Club to welcome their hidden talents. Finn and Puck would have had little hope of a future outside of Lima had they decided to stick to football and enjoy popularity ride well it lasted. Artie would have continued through high school believing he was no better than the chair he wheeled himself around in and Brittany, well Brittany would still be Brittany only now she had people who embraced her silliness.

Because of Rachel, Glee Club was now a home to those who didn't know where they fit in, it was a safe haven for those who felt they couldn't express themselves freely and it provided everyone with the knowledge that they could be whoever they wanted to be and feel safe and accepted, something that made being gay a lot easier on Kurt, Blaine, Santana and especially Quinn and Rachel themselves. Because of Rachel, McKinley High now had a home for all the underdogs in the student body. Now everybody had a place they belonged, whether they were at the top of the school hierarchy or even below the people on the bottom. Yes, the Glee Club owed Rachel a lot more than they realised.

As Quinn pulled herself together, Puck stood up from the bench as they decided to make their way back in. Walking through the main door into the lobby and headed in the direction of the hall they had left minutes ago only to be ambushed by Rachel who was racing towards them, clearly struggling for breath. When she was in reaching distance Quinn pulled the diva into her arms, her left arm wrapped around the diva's shoulders holding her close to her while she used her right hand to rub soothing circles on the girls back in a bid to calm her down. Puck watched on, concern washing over his face as he looked at the heaving girl in Quinn's arms. Before he could say anything Rachel was pulling back from Quinn's embrace and wresting her hands on her fiancées forearms to brace herself, coughing a little as she started to catch her breath again.

"Th-thank God you're okay. I've b-been looking everywhere for you," Rachel said gazing back and forth between the two. Quinn gave her a reassuring smile to let the diva know that she was in fact fine as she took a hold of one of Rachel's hands and laced their fingers together. "I'm fine. Puck took me outside to calm down, we were just on our back in to find you guys. Are you okay?" she asked as she cupped Rachel's flushed face in the palm of her free hand and looked the girl in the eyes. "Yeah I'm fine, I just need to catch my breath. I've kind of been running around looking for you two for the last twenty minutes. I was worried," Rachel said with a hint of worry in her voice.

Quinn smiled at her before leaning down and placing gentle kiss against Rachel's lips, deepening it to emphasis the fact that she was in fact fine. When they pulled apart they saw Joe poking his head out through the door of the hall, his dreadlocks tied back out of his face and off his shoulders. "Hey guys we're on in a few. Sue and Mr. Shue want us all to huddle together like now," he said as he pointed his finger back inside the door. Puck, Rachel and Quinn all nodded their heads and headed inside to meet up with the rest of the gleeks.

Once they were inside, they all stood around and once Mr. Shue spotted Rachel he looked at her with a look usually reserved for a concerned father. "Rachel, are you going to be okay to perform? Because if you're not, we can always use our plan B for the solo, it's entirely up to you," he said. Rachel turned to her side and looked up at Quinn who gave her the nod to tell her it was her decision. Giving the blonde's hand a squeeze she turned back to Mr. Shue and smiled. "While I appreciate your concern, and I have no doubt that Mercedes would give a phenomenal performance, I can assure you, I am perfectly fine," she said and then took an intake of breath and released it. Will smiled at her before looking up to the rest of the group. "Okay guys we're on in fifteen so everybody head to the backstage area.

Five minutes. That's what it came down to. Five minutes and then they would perform for the last time as members of the New Directions. This was it. Their last chance to shine, and they were going to take that opportunity in both hands and give it everything they had. Everyone huddled around in a circle, Mr. Shue standing in the middle and they all looked at one another, giving each other looks that simply said good luck, or in Sue's case, don't screw up. Will turned around full circle and looked every single member in the eye, some for the last time as their Glee coach and smiled.

"This is it guys. Everything we've worked for over the last three years, it all boils down to this," he said as he gestured the programme around in his hand. "Now I know for some of you, this is bittersweet. But I want you to know that win or lose, I am proud of all you guys and I fell honoured that I got to be your teacher and your friend. And I hope that, no matter where you guys go, we'll always have that friendship," Mr. Shue said as tears welled up in his eyes, as he looked at the students who would be graduating. Rachel and Quinn smiled at each other and gripped one another's hands, both looking towards that road to New Haven in the Fall.

"You guys changed my life. You made me want to be better, to want better for my own life. There will be many students who will pass through McKinley High Glee Club in the years to come, but I want you to know that there will never be a New Directions that has made such an impact on my life like you guys did. You're not just my students, you're my friends . Every single one of you, and I love all you guys," Will said and looked at the warm, loving expressions staring back at him, some with tears in their eyes as they all smiled at their surrogate father. The man who helped shaped them over the last three years.

"We love you too Mr. Shue. More than you'll ever know, and we want to thank you for all that you've done for us and we can't wait to come back to see you and Ms. Pillsbury _finally_ get hitched," Quinn said with a chuckle. Everyone laughed and nodded their heads in agreement while the blonde turned and brought hers and Rachel's joined hands to her lips an placed a kiss on the hand on the woman who would soon be her wife. Santana broke up the intimate moment when she checked the clocked and realised they were due to go on in about two minutes. "Alright, alright, enough of this mushy crap, let's just get down to business. Berry get your motivational speech on so we can get out there and kick some show choir ass," the Latina said with a smirk.

Rachel turned and wrapped herself up in Quinn's arms and smirked at the taller brunette. "You better get all that Berry business out of your system while you can Lopez cause in one week, it will be Fabray and I don't think Quinn would appreciate you throwing her name around like that," Rachel said. Quinn looked at Rachel with a shocked expression etched across her face. "You want to take my name?" the blonde asked as he wrapped her arms firmly around the diva's waist and pulled her flush up against her. Rachel nodded, a smile creeping across her face. "Yeah. You always told me that you never felt like the Fabray's were much of a family. Well I want to show you that it's the people that make the family and not the name. I want to show you that it's the person, not the name that makes a family. And you Quinn Fabray have the biggest heart of anyone I know. I would be honoured to be a Fabray."

With that, Quinn leaned down and captured Rachel's lips in her own and put everything she had into the kiss. The feeling of knowing that the Fabray name would soon become something to be proud of making her feel like she was reaching even newer heights of elation. Suddenly Rachel broke the kiss and turned to look at everyone. "Oh, and as for motivational speeches, like Santana said, let's go out there and kick some ass," the brunette hollered as she fist pumped the air. The sound of the gang whooping and cheering was broken by a man coming up to them with a headset telling them to get into position. With one last group hug, the Troubletones made their way on stage to get into formation before the curtain came up, and then, it was _game on. _Before they knew it Mercede's voice was soaring across the room.

_(Mercedes)_

_I was caught in a place far away_

_From the light_

_What I saw_

_I couldn't face_

_So I closed my eyes_

_(Santana and Brittany)_

_Wish I could turn back the page_

_Re-write my point of view_

_Save all the time you waste (got to get gone, gone)_

_Don't let it escalade_

_Don't fight, it's just no use_

_There's nothing left to say_

_Got to get gone, gone, gone_

_(Troubletones)_

_Forever is over_

_And my hearts not gonna fight_

_Forever is over_

_And I'm no longer afraid_

_Cuz if I don't get out now_

_I may never escape_

_Your power is fading away and_

_I'm getting so stuck to the place_

_I belong_

_Forever is over_

_Over, over, over, over, over_

_(Santana)_

_I don't want you to tell me_

_You found someone_

_Cuz I got no distance left to run_

_(Mercedes and Brittany)_

_Wish I could turn back the page_

_Re-write my point of view_

_Save all the time you waste (got to get gone, gone)_

_Don't let it escalade_

_Don't fight, it's just no use_

_There's nothing left to say_

_Got to get gone, gone, gone_

_(Troubletones)_

_Forever is over_

_And my hearts not gonna fight_

_Forever is over_

_And I'm no longer afraid_

_Cuz if I don't get out now_

_I may never escape_

_Your power is fading away and_

_I'm getting so stuck to the place_

_I belong_

_Forever is over_

_Over, over, over, over, over_

_(Brittany)_

_I'm on the other side_

_And now I realize_

_I'm in paradise coz_

_You're out my life_

_(Troubletones)_

_Forever is over_

_And my hearts not gonna fight_

_Forever is over_

_And I'm no longer afraid_

_Cuz if I don't get out now_

_I may never escape_

_Your power is fading away and_

_I'm getting so stuck to the place_

_I belong_

_Forever is over_

Once Mercedes hit the final note, the audience were on their feet clapping. The girls too it all in and looked at each other as they held their positions until the lights went down. Then as the lights began to dim, they bounded off stage and separate either to the left or right of the stage in order to be ready for their next moment on stage. Mercedes and Santana exited stage left high fiving all the members they passed before wishing Rachel good luck as she readied for her solo. When the first key of the piano sounded, Rachel turned to Quinn and received a kiss for luck before she walked on stage and stood right in the centre, the lights coming up. With one last glance towards Quinn she mouthed '_this is for you_' and then faced her audience.

_What if I told you_

_It was all meant to be_

_Would you believe me?_

_Would you agree?_

_It's almost that feeling_

_That we've met before_

_So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy_

_When I tell you that love has come here and now_

As Rachel sang she opened her eyes and gazed out into the crowd and saw that they were all grossly enthralled by her, but Rachel wasn't sure if it was her actual performance or the fact that she was the poor sick girl with cancer. But one quick glance to the side at her friends and her fiancée gave her all the confidence she needed to believe that it had nothing to do with her illness. So she reached deep down and unleashed the performance she had been holding back for three years.

_A moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

_Everything changes, but beauty remains_

_Something so tender_

_I can't explain_

_Oh well I may be dreaming_

_But till I awake_

_Can't we make this dream last forever_

_And I cherish all the love that we shared_

_A moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

Turning her head, Rachel sang directly to Quinn, the palm of her hand flat against her chest over her heart.

_Could this be the greatest love of all_

_I wanna know that you will_

_Catch me when I fall_

_So let me tell you this_

Quinn for her part, beamed a mega-watt smile and placed her own hand over her heart and with her other hand, pointed straight at Rachel.

_A moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

_A moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime_

_For a moment like this_

With that last note, the crowd was on their feet and Rachel basked in their applause before walking back towards the tiered stairs and taking up her spot as the rest of the New Directions bounded on to stage and took up their positions. Quinn placed a quick kiss to Rachel's cheek as she waltzed passed her to take up her position next to Sugar. This was it. The last performance they would ever give in competition. The lights came up and the bass started pumping. Showtime.

_(Santana, Quinn, Tina)_

_There ain't no reason you and me should be alone_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_And I got a reason that you're who should take me home tonight (Tonight)_

_I need a man that thinks it's right when it's so wrong_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_Right on the limits where we know we both belong tonight_

_(Rachel)_

_It's hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous_

_I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you_

_Where we can both fall far in love_

_(New Directions)_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth_

_Out on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge with you._

_(Finn, Blaine, Artie) _

_Another shot before we kiss the other side_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_I'm on the edge of something final we call life tonight_

_(Alright! Alright!)_

_Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames_

_Tonight, yeah, baby! (Tonight, yeah, baby!)_

_It isn't hell if everybody knows my name tonight_

_(Alright! Alright!)_

_(Kurt)_

_It's hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous_

_I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you_

_Where we can both fall far in love_

_(New Directions)_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth_

_Out on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge with you._

_(Mercedes)_

_I'm on the edge with you_

_I'm on the edge with you_

_(You, you, you...)_

_(New Directions)_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment of truth_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory, and I'm hanging on a moment with you_

_I'm on the edge with you (with you, with you, with you, with you, with you)_

Rapturous applause rang out throughout the theatre as the entire audience stood up and showed their appreciation. The entire Glee Club lined up on stage and bowed, arms wrapped around each other as they lapped up the attention of the crowd. When the lights went down they bounded off stage and they all hugged Mr. Shue and even crowded around Sue, who at first was reluctant, before giving in and giving them a pat on the back. That was it, there was nothing else they could do now accept wait. From a distance, a lone figure admired the group, from a far, smiling to herself as she turned on her heel and headed back towards the door and exited.

Thirty minutes later the New Directions were back on stage, awaiting the result of the competition. Everyone was gripping the hand of the person standing next to them, nobody able to breathe until they knew whether or not they had won. Rachel glanced across to the opposite side of the stage where Jesse was standing with Vocal Adrenaline, he gave her a respectful nod before focusing his attention back on the audience. It was down to just the New Directions and Vocal Adrenaline and when they caught sight of the golden envelop being carried on stage suddenly it felt like time had come to a standstill.

The announcer stood up to the microphone and opened the envelop, removing the card inside and reading it over and over to make sure he called the right name. Rachel stood there stock till, finding it more and more difficult to breathe as her heart began racing faster and faster, they only thing keeping her grounded was the hand holding on to her tightly. The announcer looked out into the crowd. "The winners of this year's Nationals competition," this was it, this is what it all came down to. "The _New Directions_!"

Everybody was on their feet, the crowd went wild as the confetti fell upon the new Nationals champions. The New Directions embraced, tears of sheer joy falling from everyone's eyes. They had done it, they had finally done it. The head judge walked on stage with the winner's trophy and handed it to Mr. Shue. He looked at it for a moment, then walking over to Rachel he grabbed her by the hand and placed it on the trophy. She looked at him confused and he smiled. "If I'm going to lift the winner's trophy, I'm going to lift it with the person who never gave up on this club and made _this_ all possible," he said gesturing around him. The diva returned the smile, a tear falling from her eye. "Thank you Rachel," Will said sincerely and with that they both turned towards the audience and lifted the trophy into the air reigning in their moment of glory, the rest of the club jumping around with beaming smiles on their faces.

Finally arriving back to their hotel rooms after a celebratory dinner held in their honour, Quinn and Rachel pranced into the room still on a high from winning. Quinn collapsed on the bed and kicked off her shoes while Rachel smiled at her as she removed her silk headscarf and placed it over the bedside table, placing her hand over her mouth as she coughed a little to relieve the congestion she felt in her chest. Quinn glanced up at her in concern from her position on the bed and stood up taking the diva into her arms.

"Hey, you okay?" the blonde asked, noticing that the brunette had been doing that on and off for a couple of hours now. Rachel smiled up at her and ran her hands up and down Quinn's arms. "Yeah babe I'm, I think the choreography just took the wind out of me. I'll be fine once I get some rest," she said with a smile on her face as she tried to cease her fiancées growing concern. Quinn nodded and leaned down for a kiss. "Okay, but if you feel like anything's wrong tell me and we'll go to the hospital. I don't care how minimal it might seem. We can't be too careful you know?" Quinn said. Rachel nodded "I know and I promise, if I feel anything I'll tell you," she replied.

With the end of that conversation, both girls went about their nightly routine, showering, brushing their teeth, dressing for bed and taking care of Rachel's catheter before finally climbing under the duvet and wrapping their arms around each other as they lay face to face in bed. Rachel smiled. "I can't believe. We won. We finally won," she said. Quinn laughed at the excitement that Rachel was still projecting before placing her hand on the side or Rachel's face and stroking the formerly tanned cheek with her thumb. "Yeah we did. But I won my trophy the day you agreed to marry me," Quinn said with as much compassion as she could muster up.

Love swirling around in her hazel eyes as she leaned in and pressed her lips to Rachel's. Rachel smiled into the kiss before pulling back just enough to gaze into the blonde's eyes. "I love you Quinn Fabray," she said as she kissed Quinn's lips again. The former Cheerio couldn't contain her smile as it grew bigger at those words as she looked into those brown eyes that made her heart soar. "And I love you Rachel, soon to be Fabray," she said as she kissed Rachel one last time before pulling her into her arms and pressing her body flush against Rachel's as they fell asleep in one another's arms, this time as National Champions.

**Well there it is, the New Directions are champions at long last. I hope you liked it. This chapter was a real headache for me so please review I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also the next chapter is Graduation and the Wedding! Yes the big day is fast arriving so please if you have any thoughts of what you would like to see happen please don't hesitate to let me know, you never know it might end up in the story. I already have the song picked out for Rachel and Quinn's first dance. It's gonna be a chapter full of tears, good times and some heart stopping moments so stick around Talk to you soon.**


	13. Chapter 10

**Okay guys, here it is. The big wedding chapter. I have agonised over this for weeks trying to figure out how I was going to handle it and this is combination of ideas in one chapter. It has plagued since I wrote the whole engagement chapter. But it's finally here after hours of frustration. Thank you to everyone who has favourite this story I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy it.**

"And now Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the William McKinley High, Class of 2012," Principal Figgins proclaimed as the entire graduating class stood up and tossed their caps in the air. The sounds of whooping and cheering erupted around the football pitch where the ceremony had taken place as opposed to previous years when the ceremony would be held in the auditorium. However due to the good weather that had been shining down over Lima over the last few days, the students had requested that they be allowed have their graduation outdoors. The decision proved successful and the New Directions performed together for the last time for their fellow student body and their parents, a moment that proved bittersweet.

Walking out of the aisle where she had been seated for the ceremony, Quinn ran up towards the front row where and as soon as she spotted her pint sized diva she engulfed her in her arms and twirled her around in the air before planting her feet back firmly on the ground. Leaning down she captured those perfect plump lips in her own and put everything she had into the kiss she had been waiting to give Rachel since the beginning of graduation. When they finally pulled apart for air, Rachel beamed up at her, cupping Quinn's blush covered cheek in the palm of her hand, while the other wrapped around her neck and held onto her diploma.

"We did it. We've finally graduated. Next stop Yale," Rachel cheered as she bounced up and down on her toes, physically unable to hide her excitement. Quinn released a laugh before gazing down into sparkling brown eyes and pretending to frown. "Uh, excuse me Ms. Berry but I think you're forgetting one small detail in that plan of yours. We gotta get married first," Quinn said through a smile that was almost splitting her face in two. To say she was beyond excited to be getting married was an understatement, Quinn Fabray had been counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the wedding, and now that graduation was done, she only had to wait one more day until she could finally slip that wedding band on Rachel's finger and make her Mrs. Rachel Fabray.

All the planning was complete. The ceremony would take place in the Berry's back yard, under the oak tree were Quinn and Rachel had shared their first kiss, and where Quinn had proposed. The reception would be held in a marquee under the stars. The girls had decided that they only wanted the people closest to them at the wedding. Aside from Rachel's Dad's, Glee Club, Mr. Shue and Emma, and Coach Beiste and Sue, the only other people who would be attending were some of Rachel's aunts, uncles and cousins, and some of Quinn's family who, fortunately, were still a part of her life and accepted her for who she was.

Their wedding dresses were being held captive by the girls co-captains, as Rachel's dad Leroy referred to them. Neither girl wanted to choose one of their Glee friends over the other for specific duties, so all the guys were going to take up the role of best men, while all the girls would act as bridesmaids. However both girls still needed people to be their second in command to make sure everything would run smoothly, so as expected Quinn referred to Santana to keep her in check, while Rachel chose her fellow diva to keep her dramatics in line on the day. They were also responsible for making sure the girls dresses arrived to the house that morning and that the rest of the Glee Club was suited and booted for the ceremony.

However, the wedding was a day away, this was their moment to bid farewell to McKinley for the last time before they all took flight and started their post high school lives. After meeting up with the rest of the now graduated Glee Club, they all made their way into the school and towards the choir room. One by one they entered the room to find the remaining New Directions, Mr. Shue, Ms. Pillsbury, Sue and Beiste all applauding them as they walked in. Within an instant, Santana, Mike and Kurt were wrapped up in the arms of their significant others.

The group all stood around in a circle and the seniors were congratulated. Sam and Brittany appeared out of Mr. Shue's office and handed everyone a 'red solo cup' while Will and Beiste went about popping open bottles of sparkling apple juice and pouring a cup for everyone. Once all the glasses were filled, the circle of friends and mentors all looked at one another and then Mr. Shue decided to finally speak. "You know, goodbyes are hard. This is actually the hardest one I've ever made to a graduating class, because never have a group of students touched my life the way you guys have," he said as he placed both his hands around the red. Emma placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze and it gave him the push he needed to continue. "But thing is, I'm not going to say goodbye. Because I know that this group has an amazing bond and that, while you guys are going to go and do, amazing things, that this right here right now, it's not goodbye. It's just a 'see you later', cause I know that we will always, always have Glee Club." By the time Mr. Shue was done, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

The group all huddled together and shared a giant hug and then they all shared individual moments with each and every Glee clubber. When Sugar had finally released Rachel from the death grip she had engulfed her in, the diva smiled and watched her bounce away before lowering herself to the piano bench bringing her hand up to her mouth and as she began to heave and cough. Santana spotted her from across the room, her brow furrowing in concern as she ignored whatever it was Blaine was saying to her. When she saw Quinn make her way over to the tiny diva, she noticed Rachel quell her coughing fit and plaster on her infamous fake smile, obviously trying to make sure Quinn was oblivious to her little episode. This didn't sit well with the Latina and she made a mental note to keep an eye on Rachel and make sure nothing was seriously wrong.

"Hi baby, you ready to go?" Rachel asked as he pulled Quinn down for a kiss. The blonde nodded her head and grabbed a hold of the diva's hand to pull her up. The girls needed to get home and get ready as the entire Glee Club and their coaches were all going to be arriving at the Berry house that evening for a double graduation/pre-wedding gathering, which meant they needed to head back to help Leroy and Hiram set up and allow Rachel some time to nap in order to recharge her batteries. The last round of chemo had really done the diva in, luckily they had a couple of weeks to recuperate before the next round of radium and chemo.

"Okay guys we're gonna go, but we will see you all later the festivities back at the house and your families are all welcome to join us," Quinn said as she reached for Rachel's hand and laced their fingers together. "Ah hell no, ain't no way Mama Lopez is getting all up on this party train. I plan on getting my drinks on. We supposed to be celebratin' and since you and Ber- sorry you and future Fabray here put the kibosh on our hen party plans we gots some serious makin' up to do," Santana exclaimed, ignoring the disapproving looks from the adults in the room. Quinn just shook her head and wiped her brow, "Okay whatever, we'll see you guys later," she said with a wave as Rachel gave a nod of her head and they exited the room.

After arriving home, Quinn and Rachel, plus Rachel's fathers set about moving all the wedding flowers and everything else wedding related into Hiram's study to keep it safe and out of harm's way for the ceremony the following morning. The Berry men had kindly organised food and drinks for the little shindig and were going to make themselves scarce for most of the night, leaving them with little else to do but relax for the evening. While Quinn and Leroy made some last minute checks on the reception area and made sure all the fold out seats were ready to be set up the next morning, Rachel napped upstairs in a bid to boost her energy levels.

Outside, Quinn was hanging up the last of the lanterns around the marquee when she was approached by Hiram, who was carrying a Tiffany bag in his hand. Climbing down from the step ladder, the blonde approached the smiling man. "The jewellers just dropped them off," he said as he handed Quinn the bag. She turned to the table next to her and set it down before reaching inside and removing the velvet box and opening it. Leroy and Hiram stood on either side of the girl and admired the contents in awe.

Sitting inside the silk cushion were two white gold, diamond encrusted wedding bands. Both rings were engraved on the inside simply with the word _Forever_, while Rachel's had _Love Always, Quinn_ and Quinn's had _Love Always, Rachel *_, with the little diva's trademark gold star on the end. "They are beautiful ," Leroy said as he squeezed Quinn's shoulders. The blonde nodded and beamed down at the rings, they were perfect. Looking to the watch on her wrist, Quinn closed the box and placed it back in the bag and handed it to Hiram, who was responsible for taking care of them until the morning, when Puck would be given the duty of holding onto them. The blonde was sceptical at first about trusting the mohawked by with them but Rachel wanted Puck to be involved because of the sibling relationship she shared with him. After giving Quinn one of her adorable pouts, the blonde relented and agreed.

"Everyone will be arriving soon, I'm gonna go wake up Rach," she said as she bounded up the back porch and dashed inside, taking the stairs two at a time. Upon entering the room, Quinn found Rachel fast asleep with the covers tucked up under her chin. Walking over towards the bed, she kneeled down next to it and gently stroked her fiancée's pale cheek and then placed her on the sleeping girl's shoulder and gave it a soft, gentle shake to rouse the girl from sleep. Slowly, Rachel's eyes began to flutter open and the sight made Quinn feel guilty. She hated waking Rachel up when the girl was so clearly tired. But the Glee club would be arriving soon and she knew Rachel would never forgive her if she let her sleep through.

As tired brown eyes finally settled on Quinn the blonde smiled warmly back at the diva, "Hey gorgeous, time to get up," she spoke softly, in a hushed voice. Rachel smiled back, gently pushed herself up in the bed and wiped her eyes. Quinn moved to sit beside her and placed a kiss on the girls cheek. When Rachel had finally come round from her sleep induced haze she leaned to snuggle into Quinn's side. The blonde reciprocated the motion by wrapping her arms around the girl and holding her close. "I want five minutes of cuddle time then I'll get up," Rachel demanded with mock seriousness, her voice slightly muffled from its place against the blonde's chest.

Quinn huffed out a laugh before tightening her hold, emphasising that she was more than willing to spend time cuddling. "You know, tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life. I can feel it," she said as she placed a kiss on top of the diva's head. Rachel hummed out a response as she ran her finger over Quinn's engagement ring, imagening the moment when she would slip on that wedding band. "I can't wait to make you Mrs. Rachel Fabray." Rachel glanced up and a beaming smile lit up her face, the sight prompting Quinn to lean down and kiss her chastely on the lips. When she pulled away she gazed down into those brown eyes that made her go weak at the knees and brought her hand up to cup Rachel's cheek.

"About tomorrow, are you _sure_ that you're ready? I mean _really sure_. I know it's our wedding night but that doesn't mean we have to rush into anything. We can wait," Quinn said, the sincerity and gentleness in her voice reassuring Rachel who reached up and placed her hand on the side of Quinn's face. "Quinn I'm _sure._ As sure as I'll ever be," she said placing a kiss on the blonde's lips. Quinn frowned a little and then grasped Rachel's hand and nodded. "I just, I don't want you to regret anything. I want your first time to be special," she replied in a hushed voice. Rachel couldn't help the swelling in her heart at how nurturing Quinn was being about the whole thing. It made her feel safe and secure. "I know you do, and that's why I love you," she responded as she leaned up and pecked Quinn on the lips producing a smile from her fiancée. "I love you too."

The rest of the evening progressed in relaxing manner, everyone just happy to chill out and talk and reminisce about the good times they'd had over the last three years, from sharing heartfelt moments to playfully mocking one another over memories that could only be looked upon with a sense of humour. "Seriously though what were we thinking taking those vitamin D pills?" Finn said with a laugh. "The same thing Rachel was when stapled all those beanie babies together to make her Lady GaGa outfit, we weren't," Puck said through a hearty laugh, his face actually turning red. Rachel huffed out a laugh and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh ha ha, so I made an ass of myself, but nothing, and I mean nothing will top the time Kurt taught the football team entire dance routine to Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies'. That will stay with us forever," the diva sighed dramatically as she tossed a cushion at Kurt who was turning red from embarrassment. Blaine sat up straight and turned to Kurt with a shocked look on his face. "Wait that was you?" he asked utterly bewildered. "I'd heard about that but you never told me you were the one behind it. That video was the holy grail of YouTube videos for an entire month at Dalton," he said nudging Kurt on the knee and smiling at him.

"While I'm proud that I somehow managed to get twenty or so football meat heads, no offense," he said with a raised hand to Finn, Puck and Sam, "to sake their booty to Beyoncé, can we file it back in the memory cabinet and move on, it's getting beyond awkward." Santana chuckled. "Speaking of awkward what about the time Finn and Quinn got there mack on and contributed to an outbreak of mono around the entire school," she laughed. Finn and Quinn both paled at the memory as everyone else including Rachel and Sam fell into a fit of laughter. "Although I regret hurting Sam by cheating on him like I did, I don't regret doing it, because if it wasn't for getting caught and Sam breaking up with me I never would have come to terms with my sexuality, and I definitely never would have had the courage to finally tell Rachel how I felt about her all this time," Quinn said as she beamed down at the girl who was lying back against her chest on the couch.

"Well then you best be thankin' me Q cause if it wasn't for the devious bitch that I am, I never would have kissed Finn and given him mono so I could call you and the giant out on that bullshit game you were playin'" Santana said with a prideful grin. Quinn turned with shocked eyes and glared at the Latina. "That was you?" she shouted much to everyone's amusement and then Finn finally caught on to what Santana had been saying. "I knew you were acting weird when you came up to me in the booth," he said tossing a pretzel at her. Quinn then smiled and tightened the hold she had on Rachel.

"I supposed I better thank you then S, because of you I found the love of my life," she said as she kissed the tip of Rachel's nose. Tina, Sugar and Mercedes all cooed in awe at the loved up pair, before throwing loved up puppy dog eyes at Mike, Rory and Sam who all gulped at the pressure they were suddenly feeling to be just as sweet and romantic towards their girlfriends. Glancing at the clock they noticed it was heading towards the small hours of the morning and if they were to have any hope of getting up for the wedding they should probably start heading home. Quinn walked to the door and ushered everyone out.

As Emma and Will made to exit the living room, Rachel grabbed a hold of Will to stop him from leaving. Glancing at the door she saw her fiancée speaking to Mike and Tina and knew it was safe talk. "I just want to thank you for agreeing to tomorrow. It means a lot to me and I know it will mean a lot to Quinn," Rachel said staring up at her now former Glee coach. Will smiled down at Rachel and placed a hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze. "Of course. I'm honoured you even thought of me so I should really be thanking you," he responded before turning towards the door and exiting with Emma who had been waiting patiently for him in the foyer.

Once the last of their friends had left Quinn and Rachel retired upstairs and walked down the hallway towards their rooms. Although their wedding was going to be anything but traditional, there were still some traditions they wanted to uphold and not seeing the bride before the wedding was one of them. So they had decided that Rachel would stay in their room while Quinn slept in the guest room that used to hers. Standing outside Rachel's room, the diva reached up and wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck, pulling her in for a long and passionate kiss.

Quinn responded with fervour, wrapping her arms around Rachel's tiny waist and pulling her flush against her body feeling the warmth that the diva's body emitted. Being away from Rachel, even only for the night, was killing Quinn, but she was comforted by the knowledge that after tomorrow, she would have the diva forever and that was enough to keep her sanity intact. When they finally pulled apart for oxygen, Quinn placed one last lingering kiss on Rachel's forehead before stepping away. "I love you," she said and Rachel replied in kind as they separated and made their way into their own individual rooms for the last time as separate souls, for tomorrow they would be united as one.

Although it had proven difficult for both girls to fall asleep, eventually they managed to doze off and before they knew it Santana and Kurt were knocking on their doors and diving head long into their duties. While Kurt disappeared into Rachel's room to help the frail younger girl prepare for the day, Santana and Quinn spent the little free time they had helping Hiram, Leroy and caterers set up in the back garden. As they unfolded the chairs to lay them out for the ceremony, the Latina kept shooting questioning glances at her former captain. She needed to know if what she had seen the day before in the choir room was common knowledge, or if Rachel was hiding something to protect Quinn.

"So Q, how's Berry been the last couple days? She been better since Nationals?" she asked, deciding if she wanted to get an answer from the blonde without alarming her to anything that may or may not be in her head, she would have to be sneaky about it. Quinn unfolded another chair and set it down in it's appropriate position and then stood back up, placing her hands on her hips, and stared up to the window she knew to be Rachel's room. "Uh, she's, she's been good. Better than good actually. I mean the chemo is still kicking her ass, but I think the win at Nationals, graduation, the wedding, it's all given her a boost you know," the blonde sighed as she wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. It was a warm a day, the sun was shining down, skies were blue. Perfect for a wedding.

The Latina just nodded her head in acknowledgement of the reply she got but her brain was currently splitting itself in two trying to focus on two different things. _If Rachel is really as okay as Quinn says she is, then what was all that in the choir room_, the brunette thought to herself as she unfolded and positioned the last of the chairs. Quinn gazed around and noticed that everything else was pretty much sorted out and moved to stand next to her best friend. "Okay well that's everything," she said brushing part of her side fringe off her face. "Let's go get me ready, I'm getting married today," Quinn squealed as she ran off towards the house, her smiling friend following close behind.

Not long after Quinn had returned from the shower and had her hair dried and styled and make-up complete, a knock at the door sounded out. "Come in," she called out. The door opened to reveal Kurt dressed in his tux with a skinny black satin tie and a gardenia flower pinned to the lapel of his suit jacket, a preview of how all the other boys would look. "Hey sorry to interrupt, I was wondering if I could steal Santana for a moment to help Rachel bandage up her catheter before she puts on her dress," he asked as he gazed back and forth between the two. The Latina looked to Quinn for approval, which came in the form of a headshake and a smile, before putting down the blush brush and exiting the room. Quinn then thanked Kurt for being a gentleman about the whole thing. He may be gay but he was still a guy and she was grateful that he was respectful of Rachel's modesty.

Across the hall, Santana was about to knock on the door when she heard what sounded like coughing from the other side. Pressing her ear up against the cool wooden door, she listened closely, and then, she heard it again. Knocking softly she called out, "Hey, it's me," and when she heard shrill call her in, she opened the door and stepped inside. As she expected, Rachel was sitting at her vanity mirror, her best show face on, acting like nothing had happened. The Latina huffed out a sigh, before stepping up to where the diva was sat and crossed her arms over her chest. "How long have you had that cough?" she asked, as she held Rachel's gaze through the mirror, silently daring the girl to lie to her. Rachel broke eye contact and glanced down before turning around in the chair.

"A couple days," she muttered out in a law raspy voice. Santana was about to blow up when Rachel jumped from her chair and placed her hand on the girls crossed forearms and stopped her from speaking. "Look I know with my condition that things as small as a cough can be worse, but I'm okay. Really. It's just a little cough and I promise, after the wedding I will go to the doctor and have them check me out," she said with pleading eyes, begging Santana not to make a bigger deal of the situation. "Please Santana! Quinn's been looking forward to this wedding for so long. Just give me today." Santana glanced away from Rachel, debating with herself as to whether or not to tell Quinn.

But after hearing Rachel's plea she decided that she would give the diva one more day. "Okay fine. I won't tell Q. But if I so much as think that you're not up this at any point during the day, I'mma drag you down to that hospital myself. You got me?" she challenged, looking Rachel square in the eye. The diva nodded her head and then threw her arms around the taller girl. Thanking her repeatedly before stepping away. "Alright, give me the medi kit. Let's get you dressed and married so I can gets my dance on with Britts," the Latina exclaimed

It was officially one o'clock in the afternoon, the ceremony was due to start any moment. Hiram appeared from the study and handed Quinn the box with the wedding rings and she smiled at him gratefully. The man she had come to know and love like a father gave her the once over and smiled adoringly at her. Quinn had shoulder length hair down in subtle waves and pinned to the side with a diamante hair clasp. Her dress was understated, just like Quinn, a simple halter neck, satin straps, a bodice and train, with a shimmering crystal design that glistened in the light. She looked like a nineteen fifties movie star. Hiram took a hold of her hands and shook.

"Girlie let me tell you something, you look stunning. I'm convinced now more than ever that the spirit of Grace Kelly lives on in you," he said as he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you Hiram," she said and embraced the man. When she spotted Puck approaching over his shoulder, all suited and booted, she pulled away and excused herself. Holding the ring box in the air she pointed her finger at the mohawked boy. "Now Puck, these rings cost more than your beat up truck and your Xbox combined. .," she said as she pressed the box to his chest. He smiled at her and took the box in his hand. "I know I got it, don't worry. I not gonna screw this up for you and Rach. I know how important it is," he said with a serious tone to his voice. Quinn nodded at him in appreciation, before returning to her position, readying herself to walk down that aisle and into her future with the woman she was madly and deeply in love with.

Once Quinn was standing in position in front of the double glass doors, facing down the aisle, Kurt and Blaine appeared from the study and smiled at her. "You look amazing," Blaine sighed. Kurt nodded in agreement. "Rachel is waiting in the study so whenever you're ready to go give me the nod. Oh and trust me, when you see her, she will take your breath away," he said with his hand over his chest breathing out dramatically. The blonde returned their smiles and felt her anticipation rising at the thought of seeing Rachel. Before she knew it Leroy was bounding up to them. "Okay guys it's show time, everybody, take your positions," he said.

As the music began to play, all the Glee Clubbers lined up into two separate lines and they slowly began to make their way down the aisle. Quinn watched on and waited for her cue, when suddenly a hand was placed on her shoulder. Turning around she came face to face with Mr. Shue who was dressed in the same outfit as the rest of the Glee boys. "Mr. Shue," gasped looking the man up and down. "May I," he asked as he offered his arm. Quinn looked at her former Glee coach with a confused expression and he smiled fondly at her. "Rachel asked me to stand for you at the wedding. She felt that you deserved to have somebody there for you who cares about you as much as she does," he explained.

Quinn smiled up at the man who had been like a father figure to her over the last few years. She couldn't believe Rachel had been thoughtful enough to ask someone who was special to her to walk her down the aisle. It made her heart swell and she fought to hold back the tears. "So Quinn Fabray, will you do _me_ the honour of allowing me to give you away at your wedding," he asked. The blonde looked down and willed the tears back before looking back up at him a beaming smile and taking a hold of his arm. "I would love that," she replied, and then they both turned towards the beginning of the aisle and began the long walk to the end the New Directions were lined up on either side with huge smiles on their faces, some with tears in their eyes.

Once they had reached the end, Mr. Shue unlinked their arms and lifted Quinn's hand to place a kiss on it before taking his seat next to Emma, who already had tears streaming down her face looking at all the kids who had been responsible for bringing her and Will together. Quinn glanced around at her friends. She had to admit all the boys scrubbed up well. The girls all looked stunning with their hair down in soft curls, their bright, knee length halter neck dresses, perfect for the sunny day they had been blessed with. Standing at the miniature gazebo under the tall oak tree, Quinn nervously played with her hands as she waited patiently.

When she heard the sound of Tina, Mercedes, Sugar and Kurt gasp, her head immediately snapped up and when she turned towards the end of the aisle, she instantly forgot how to breathe. Hazel eyes met dark chocolate brown orbs and Quinn suddenly knew what Kurt was talking about when he said she would be left breathless, because she was. She was breathless. Her heart was rapidly beating against her chest as if trying to escape and with good reason. Rachel slowly made her way down the aisle, linking each of her father's arms. Her dress unlike Quinn's, was strapless, a figure hugging bodice that flowed out from the waist while the slight ruffle detail at the side was pinned at the hip by a diamante clasp.

The Swarovski Crystals lined the top and bottom of the bodice area of the dress while a small v-like crystal design ran along the underside of her chest area. She sparkled like a shining star, just like Quinn imagined. Although the diva had discussed possibly wearing a wig on the day, she had decided against it, instead opting to wear a white silk head wrap, a crystal encrusted headband helping to hold it in place. The decision proved to be the right one as the smile on Quinn's face continued to grow. This is what the blonde wanted, she didn't want Rachel to wear a wig, because she didn't want anything fake or artificial, just Rachel in all her natural beauty.

Once the diva had finally made it to the end of the aisle she kissed both her fathers on the cheek and then they handed her off to Quinn before taking their seats. Grasping one another's hands, Quinn beamed down at her lover and mouthed '_you look beautiful'_, earning herself a shy smile from Rachel who mouthed back '_so do you'_. The girls were so wrapped up in their own little bubble that whatever it was the wedding officiant was saying was going completely over their heads, until it came to the vows. Rachel was up first.

"I think it's fair to say that we had a pretty hostile past before we got together," at this everyone laughed, knowing full well that the girls were at best mortal enemies their Junior and Sophomore years. "But I realise now that, that hostility, that anger, it was driven by fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of what it meant to love someone who had the power to break your whole heart without even knowing it. But we overcame that fear, we overcame it and we're stronger for it. Quinn I love you so much because I know that you are the one person in this world who would never hurt me or break my heart intentionally," she managed to get out through a choked whisper.

"You have proven your love to me time and time again without being asked to. You tell me how beautiful I am every day because you know my every insecurity. You make sure to tell me that you love me every morning when we wake up, and every night before we go to sleep. You have, and continue to be, my rock through the toughest challenge of my life, and I know I can depend on you to always be there," she said as she squeezed Quinn's hand when she noticed a tear escape the blonde's eye. _Thank God_ _for waterproof mascara_ she thought.

"Quinn, I love you with all my heart, and I am going to love you every day for the rest of my life. I promise to honour and cherish you, in sickness and in health no matter what. You are my shining light in the darkness, my guardian angel in my time of need. I love you," she finished as she reached up and wiped away Quinn's tears with her thumb. By the end of her vows there was not a dry eye in the house. Hell, even Santana fell a little bit in love with Rachel. Both girls were brought out of their thoughts by Puck who stepped forward to hand Rachel the wedding band after checking the inscription to make sure he was giving her the right one. Once Rachel had it, she easily slipped it on Quinn's finger and smiled. Now it was Quinn's turn.

"Rachel, you have given me so much since we've been together, love, courage, acceptance. But there's one thing you've given me that I will be forever grateful for. You gave me a family, a home. A place where I witness more kindness and feel more love than anywhere else in the world. It's pretty much documented in our past that I was a repressed bitch for most of high school," this statement earned Quinn a laugh from everyone as well as a few head nods. "But no matter how awful I was to you, or no matter problems of your own you were dealing with, you were always there for me," Quinn said, as she wavered in her speech.

"You proved to me that not everyone leaves, that there are people out here who will love me regardless of my flaw. You have showed me that no matter how far I tried to run, that you would follow, that no matter how lost I got, that you would find me and bring me home to a place where I could be myself. You have shown me what true strength is. Even in the face of adversity you have prevailed time and time and again and it has given me the strength to face any hurdle that has come my way," at these words the Glee Club looked at one another and shared approving looks and head nods, knowing exactly what Quinn was talking about.

"Rachel, you are the beat in my heart, the air that I breathe, the music I sing, the star in my sky. I love you so completely that I need you by my side just to feel whole. I promise to honour and cherish you, in sickness and in health, for the rest of _our_ lives. I love you," she finished as she gazed into teary eyes that looked back at her with so much love. Turning to Puck, she accepted the ring from him and then grasped Rachel's left hand, sliding the wedding band gently onto the girls ring finger. As the wedding officiant pronounced the wife and wife, Quinn and Rachel both leaned into one another's arms and kissed for the first time as a married couple to the sound of cheers. "Ladies and Gentleman I give Mrs Quinn and Rachel Fabray," the officiator called out. With that, the girls made their way down the aisle as their family and friends showered them in confetti.

The reception went off without a hitch, the many speeches by their fellow New Directions members adding light humour to the festivities. Quinn was moved to tears as Hiram and Leroy welcomed her to the family by presenting her with a t-shirt with _Berry Family_ printed across the front with a picture of the girls with Leroy and Hiram. "And it's Dad and Daddy from here on out girlies. You're officially family now," Hiram stated with finality to his tone. After the sun had set, Sam, and Puck took to the makeshift stage off the side of the dance floor that had been put down for the occasion. Puck stepped up to the Mike with his guitar and smiled in the girls direction.

"Could we please have Quinn and Rachel _FABRAY_ take to the floor for their first dance as wife and wife," he said as he stood back to plug his guitar into the amp. Quinn stood up and took Rachel's hand guiding her to the floor. Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist holding her tight against her. Rachel smiled and wrapped her arms around her wife's neck and pulled her down for a kiss. By the time they had pulled apart, the music began to play and everyone gathered around to watch from around the dance floor. Puck stepped up to the mic and began to sing.

_(Puck)_

_Maybe it's intuition _

_But some things you just don't question_

_Like in your eyes_

_I see my future in an instant_

_and there it goes_

_I think I've found my best friend_

_I know that it might sound more than_

_a little crazy but I believe _

_(Puck and Sam)_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I think I dreamed you into life_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I have been waiting all my life _

At this, Quinn dipped her head to claim a kiss from her wife, a smile etching across her face at finally being able to call Rachel her wife. Looking around she gestured for her everyone to join them on the floor. Without further need for instruction, Santana grabbed Brittany by the hand and led her to the dance floor, followed by Tina and Mike, Rory and Sugar, and Mercedes and Joe, who had stepped in for Sam who was singing. Will stood up and placed his hand out for Emma to take which she grasped onto and he led her to the floor. Soon, the girls were surrounded by everyone they loved.

_(Sam)_

_There's just no rhyme or reason_

_only this sense of completion_

_and in your eyes_

_I see the missing pieces_

_I'm searching for_

_I think I found my way home_

_I know that it might sound more than_

_a little crazy but I believe_

_(Sam and Puck)_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I think I dreamed you into life_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I have been waiting all my life_

_(Puck)_

_A thousand angels dance around you_

_I am complete now that I found you _

_(Puck and Sam)_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I think I dreamed you into life_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I have been waiting all my life _

There first dance had been perfect. Perfect song, perfect location right under the stars and the perfect company. The rest of the night, the gleeks partied down to a DJ and even indulged in karaoke, after which both Quinn and Rachel retired to their rooms to change into evening gowns so they were more comfortable. The night ended with a fireworks display that had been organised by one Sue Sylvester no less. Much to everyone's surprise, except Kurt who put it down to her crazy baby hormones. Once the fireworks were finished, Hiram and Leroy came up to the girls and stood in front of them.

"Okay so limo is out front and your bag is in the car so you're all set," Leroy said as he smiled at a confused looking Rachel. "Set, set for what?" she asked. Quinn turned to face her wife and gave her a lopsided smile as she gripped onto Rachel's hand smiling at the as the glistening of diamonds from Rachel's engagement ring and wedding band caught her eye. "I booked us a suite at the Hilton Hotel, in Columbus," Quinn announced her smile growing as she saw the happiness reflected in Rachel's eyes. "Quinn," Rachel replied in an awestruck whisper. Reaching up Quinn stroked her wife's cheek and kissed her. "I told you, I want tonight to be special for you," the blonde whispered against the diva's lips, aware of the fact the Berry men were standing a mere two feet away from them. 

Once Rachel got over the surprise, they bid farewell to their guests who were standing out front to wave them off, and then they jumped into the limo and headed for Columbus, their arms wrapped around each other for the entire journey. Every now and again they would steal a kiss and whisper sweet nothings, but they couldn't deny the fact that they were feeling a little nervous about the night ahead. Quinn knew this was a big night for Rachel, and the diva knew that after this night, she would be different , but she was excited that she was finally giving all of herself to the woman she loved. And that outweighed all the nerves.

The girls were so wrapped up in one another that they hadn't noticed they had arrived until the limo driver was opening the door for them in front of the entrance of the hotel. After the bellboy had collected their bag, Quinn walked up to reception to check in and collect the key card. "Here you guy missus Fabray, we hope you enjoy your stay. Anything you need please don't hesitate to call," the perky receptionist said as she handed Quinn the card who smiled in return and then turned to Rachel grabbed a hold of her hand, lacing their fingers together and walking towards the elevator.

The second Rachel pressed the button the doors opened and both girls stepped inside. When the doors closed, Quinn raised their joined hands to her lips and placed a kiss on her wife's hand. Once they reached their floor, the found their room and Quinn swiped the key through the key card slot and opened the door before sweeping Rachel off her feet. "Quinn what are you doing, put me down before you hurt yourself," she cried out in surprise. Quinn chuckled at Rachel's response. "Uh Rach, no offense but my gym bag weighs more than you do, and you're forgetting, I was a Cheerio for three years, I'm built like the freakin' Bionic Woman," she said as she jostled Rachel up and down for emphasis.

The motion produced a giggle from the diva as she leaned down and pressed a kiss to her wife's lips. While they kissed, Quinn walked into the room, and when they pulled apart, Rachel was again left speechless. The entire room was lit up with candles, the bed was covered in red and white rose petals and soft music was pumped through the speakers of an iPod docking station. Quinn's iPod sitting in the middle. "Kurt and Blaine snuck out after our first dance drove here to set it up. I hope this is special enough for you," Quinn said as she watched Rachel run her hands over the rose petals. The diva turned around, tears of joy trying to force their way to the surface. She placed her hand on Quinn's cheek and smiled as she leaned in as if to kiss her. Before connecting their lips she gazed up into lust filled hazel eyes, "It's perfect," she whispered before finally closing the distance and capturing Quinn's bottom lip in her own.

As they pulled apart, Rachel removed her coat and let it drop to the floor. Grasping Quinn's hand she brought it up to her chest and placed it over her heart and smiled. "I'm ready," she said. Quinn basked in the feeling of Rachel's heartbeat beneath her hand before looking deep into brown eyes that made her fall deeper in love each and every time she was close enough to gaze into them, and in those eyes, she found the courage to proceed. "I love you," she said as she removed her own coat and let it fall to the ground.

Wrapping her arms around Rachel, she found the zipper on the back of her dress and slowly she unzipped it and once it reached the bottom, just below the arch of Rachel's back, she stepped back and placed her hands on the diva's shoulders and gently eased the straps down along her arms and watched in awe as fell to the ground joining the clothes already on the ground. Gazing her wife up and down, she admired the sight before her, the curve of Rachel's breasts and hips and the mouth-watering lace panties that her wife bought especially for the occasion. Reaching up she cupped Rachel's face in the palm of her hands. "You are beautiful," she uttered in a low husky voice as he kissed her wife passionately, moaning as Rachel's tongue begged for entrance which the blonde granted instantly.

As their tongues battled for dominance, Rachel ran her hands over Quinn's body, touching and exploring. Reaching her hands up behind Quinn's neck, she untied the halter neck straps of her wife's sundress and slowly slid it down pale skin until it reached the floor, adding to the pile of clothes. As the kiss deepened, Quinn ran her hands over her wife's back and unclasped her bra, which Rachel obliged in shrugging off. The blonde stared down at her wife's breasts hungrily, noticing the glint in Quinn's eyes, Rachel grabbed a hold of Quinn's hand and brought it up to cup her breast. With her wife giving her the go ahead, Quinn began to massage the breast as she returned to kissing the diva who worked on removing Quinn's bra and returning the attention.

Feeling their legs beginning to tremble in anticipation, Quinn reached behind Rachel and pulled back the covers. Placing one hand on Rachel's lower back, and cupping the back of her head with the other, the blonde lowered them to the bed. Breaking their heated kissing session, both girls made themselves comfortable in the bed. Quinn lowered herself on top of Rachel, placing her arms on either side of Rachel's head for leverage, the feeling of their naked chests pressing together adding to their growing arousal. Rachel moaned at the feeling of soaked panties rubbing together as their hips grinded back and forth.

Quinn's kissed along Rachel's jawline before moving to her neck and nipping at the diva's pulse point, biting the area and then soothing it with her tongue. Her kisses continued their journey down Rachel's body, kissing along her collarbone and down the valley of her breasts before finally taking a nipple in her mouth, nipping and sucking the nub. The moans escaping Rachel egging her on as she made quick work of removing her own soaked underwear before coming back face to face with her wife and leaning down for a kiss, her right hand travelling down Rachel's body and stopping at the waistband of her lace underwear gently tugging on them.

Rachel reacted to the feeling by arching her hips of the bed so Quinn could slide the off, tossing them to the side with the rest of their clothes. Both girls whimpered at the feeling of their sopping wet cores connecting for the first time. After grinding their hips together to enhance their arousal, Quinn gazed down into Rachel's eyes, "Are you ready?" she asked. Rachel reached up a hand and cupped Quinn's cheek, "I'm ready," she replied and the kissed briefly, as Quinn positioned herself between her wife's legs. Bringing her right hand down between their bodies, she ran the tip of her fingers between soaking wet folds, exhaling as shaky breath as her own arousal increased ten-fold.

Slowly she lowered her finger towards Rachel's entrance and circled it for a moment, gazing up brown eyes, she waited for her wife to give her the go ahead. With one last shaky breath, the diva gave her the nod and with that, Quinn slowly eased her finger inside, until she was met with some resistance. Glancing up at Rachel, she saw the girl scrunch her eyes shut and her lips tighten into a thin line. Quinn pumped in and out slowly before she removed her finger completely and teased her wife's clit. Then when Rachel was semi relaxed, she slowly began to push two fingers deeper and deeper inside her wife's tight channel. She kept going until she came was met with the same resistance, and with one swift pump of her wrist she broke through the barrier.

"Aghh," Rachel shrieked as she felt something inside her break, a feeling of pain washing over at the intrusion. Feeling Rachel tense up, Quinn wrapped her arm around her wife and pulled her flush against her naked body and captured her lips in a searing kiss, catching every whimper, every moan. Feeling wetness against her own cheek, she broke the kiss to see the tears on Rachel's face. Leaning down she kissed every single one away before reclaiming the diva's lips and then burying her face in the crook of Rachel's neck and hugging her tight. "Shh, it's okay. It's all okay," she whispered as she placed a kiss to the side of the girls neck.

When Rachel relaxed against her, she gently began to pump her fingers in and out, slowly at first, but as Rachel began to adjust and stretch, she began to pump faster, their heart rates speeding up, pounding against one another's chests. Slick sweat coated their skin as Quinn and Rachel rocked their hips in time to the blonde's thrusts. Rachel felt a pull in her lower stomach that was slowly beginning to intensify and before she knew it, she was screaming out her wife's name, her orgasm ripping through her body. Quinn held her tight and slowly removed her fingers, waiting for Rachel to come down from her high.

As Rachel's eyes finally opened she was met with the gaze of beautiful hazel pools gazing lovingly at her from above. Wrapping her hand around her wife's neck and pulled her down into a heated kiss. "I love," she whispered and Quinn smiled back. "I love you too," the blonde responded. Moving from her position on top of her wife, Quinn rolled onto her side and leaned back against the pillows, pulling Rachel snug against her. The diva lay her head against the blonde's bare chest and pulled the covers around their naked bodies for warmth.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked as she kissed the top of her wife's head. Rachel looked up at her with a smile. "I'm more than okay. That was amazing. You made me feel safe and comfortable. It was everything I could have hoped for," the diva said with a dreamy look on her face. "Good, I'm glad and thank you for letting me be the one you shared this with. Today has been the best day of my life," Quinn said as she played with Rachel's hand. "Mine too," her wife replied as the connected their lips for a kiss before making themselves comfortable and allowing sleep to take hold. Bringing an end to what had been a perfect day.

Sometime during the night, Quinn began to toss and turn, reaching her arm to her wife, she was met with the cool feeling of the bed sheets beneath her hand. Opening her eyes, Quinn glanced around the dark room and noticed it was empty except for her. Sitting bolt right up in the bed she pulled the sheets up to cover her naked frame. "Rach", she called out as she crawled to the edge of the bed and stood up. Wrapping the sheet tightly around her and tying it in a not, she glanced towards the bathroom and noticed the light creeping out through the crack in the door. Moving across the room, she knocked on the door, but received no response. Pushing it open she glanced around until her eyes fell to the floor, and in that moment her heart dropped.

"Oh my God," escaped her mouth as she dashed into the room and dropped to her knees next to her unconscious wife. "Rach, Rach, come on baby wake up," she said gently shaking her wife and tapping her on the cheek. As she turned Rachel's head she saw blood dripping out of her mouth and then panic began to hit hard. Standing up Quinn dashed over to the phone by the bed and dialled reception. "Hey I need an ambulance my wife just collapsed," Quinn rambled through a shaky breath, her heart beating erratically. As soon as she heard the receptionist confirm that the paramedics had been called, she ran to her bag and threw on some clothes and then grabbed the bed sheet to cover her still naked wife, knowing it was against emergency protocol to move someone who was unconscious.

Running back into the bathroom, she placed the sheet around Rachel and then kneeled next to her head and gently picked it off the ground and cradled it in her lap. Stroking Rachel's cheek she silently sent up a prayer that everything would be okay an she ran her hand up and down Rachel's bare arm to try generate warmth and feel like she was helping in some way. Leaning down she kissed her wife on the temple as her tears began to fall. "C'mon Rach, wake up," she begged. The soft sound of muffled whimpering escaped the diva's lips before all went silent again. Quinn's choked sobs the only sound that could be heard.

**Oh no! Poor Rachel and Quinn. Just when everything was going so right. Next chapter, we find out Rachel's fate so stick around.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's the hardest one I've had to write so far so please, review, I'd love to hear your thoughts. They really inspire me to write. Talk to you soon!**


	14. Chapter 11

**Next Chapter! Thanks for the reviews hope you like this one. **

The sound of nurses and doctors rushing about, of the wheels of hospital gurneys ratting against the floor and the overwhelming smell of bleach and medical sanitizer was all a distant thought to Quinn as she sat in the cold plastic chair of the emergency waiting room rocking back and forth. She had blocked out the hustle and bustle around her and found herself trapped in thoughts of how it all went so horribly wrong. Mere hour ago she and Rachel were celebrating their marriage in front of their closest friends and family and making love for the first time. Now, she was sitting alone in a hospital, in another town, waiting for somebody to come and tell her whether or not her wife was alright, or if she was even alive.

_This can't be happening_, Quinn thought as she leaned her elbows on her knees and ran her fingers through her dishevelled hair and biting down on her lower lip trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. They were supposed to have a couple of days to enjoy their newly wedded bliss before Rachel began her next round of radium and chemo, and then they were supposed to leave for Yale so that they could begin the next chapter of their lives.

Quinn had spent days leading up to the wedding daydreaming about what their future would be like. She had made plans for when Rachel was better of places they would take trips to like Europe, they both always wanted to go there and visit places like Rome, Barcelona, and Ireland. Rachel had been to Ireland as a child with her fathers and she wanted to return there with Quinn so she could show her all the places she remembered. This made Quinn feel a sense of warmth in her chest, knowing that Rachel wanted to share everything with her, including parts of her childhood that meant a lot to her.

But there was so much more than just trips and marking items off their bucket lists that Quinn envisioned. There was so much more, but every time Rachel had a setback, or she came home from chemo weak or painfully ill, Quinn wondered if she was planning for a future that may never happen. And that very thought both scared and pained Quinn in equal measures because every time she even spent more than a moment thinking about it, she felt like she was giving up on Rachel and that was something she vowed she would _never_ do. It was just hard constantly sitting on the side lines watching the person she loved most in the world suffering when there was nothing she could do to ease that pain or make her better.

Before she could further torment herself with how helpless she truly felt the sound of the automatic doors of the ER entrance opening caught her attention and when she gazed up she was relieved to see Hiram and Leroy rushing through the doors followed closely by Santana and Kurt. Standing from her chair she rushed towards them and was immediately engulfed in the arms of both Berry men while her friends stood a step behind watching on as they waited for Quinn to pull back from the hug and acknowledge them, knowing that she needed that comfort in the moment.

"Thank God you guys are here," came Quinn's muffled voice against Leroy's chest before she pulled away and looked at them all through puffy red eyes. "We got in the car the minute you called us. What happened? Is she okay? Hiram asked as he adjusted his glasses on his nose. Quinn wiped a tear from her cheek with the sleeve of her plaid shirt. "I-I don't know. I woke up and she wasn't next to me. When I saw the light on in the bathroom I got up and looked inside and she was just there, lying on the floor. Sh-she wouldn't w-wake up," Quinn stuttered over the last sentence as she battled against the urge to violently break down in tears as the image of her unconscious wife flooded her mind.

"Quinn, I'm so sorry. I should have said something earlier when I was helping Rachel get ready. I knew she was looking a little unwell," Kurt said with his hand over his mouth trying to hold back the tears. Quinn stood up a little straighter and frowned, her eyes locked in a burning stare at the feminine boy. "What?" she asked in a biting tone. Santana moved closer to Kurt and placed a hand on his bicep, if had the courage to speak up, the Latina knew she had to. "No, Kurt I should have said something. I saw Rachel looking a little peaky in the choir at graduation and how she covered it up when you approached her," Santana said looking to Quinn. "I confronted her about when I went to help her with her catheter and she told me she hadn't been feeling great in a couple of days but that she didn't want to worry you until after the wedding. She said she was gonna go see a doctor the day after you got married," the Latina explained in a guilty voice. All eyes were on her but Quinn's gaze was fierce and almost animalistic.

Rachel had once said that Quinn reminded her of a lion, not because of her unruly bed head, although that was a factor, but in her way with dealing with her emotions and the people around her. Like a lion, Quinn was comfortable in the role of the leader of the pack, she was fiercely protective of those close to her and her relationships with those people and she would fight tooth and nail to prevent anyone or anything from threatening that, especially when it came to Rachel. Family was important to Quinn and as such she felt it was her duty to take care of Rachel and provide for her and because of this Rachel told Quinn that she knew that one day, when they had little "cubs" of their own, that they would be the most protected, cared for children, because Quinn would do anything for them.

And just like Rachel had described, Quinn was now going into attack mode, because her family, her pack, had been threatened and God help anyone who ever found themselves on the receiving end of a Quinn Fabray attack because they had little hope of coming out unscathed. Santana visibly shuddered under the blonde's intense glare and moved slightly closer to Kurt. "You mean to tell me you guys knew something was wrong and you said NOTHING!" Quinn grunted in hushed but harsh tone, aware of the people around them. "That you let Rachel go through with the wedding knowing that her body is weak and can't handle stress. She has cancer for Christ's sake," the blonde exclaimed the tears now freely falling from her eyes.

Leroy stepped forward and rested his hands of Quinn's shoulders forcing her to look at him. "Quinn I know you're upset, and you're scared, but regardless of what Kurt or Santana or could have done you know as well as Hiram and I do that if Rachel was going to marry you, God himself wouldn't have been able to stop her," he said trying to calm the girls fiery temper. "Let's just focus on Rachel for the time being and we'll focus on everything else when we know how she is." Just as Leroy got the last sentence out, a doctor buzzed himself through the double doors that Rachel had been wheeled through hours ago. He was dressed in dark blue scrubs and had a surgical mask hanging from his neck. Quinn walked up to meet the man and he looked at her and everybody else questioningly.

"Are you the family of Rachel Berry?" he asked. Quinn nodded her head. "It's Fabray, Rachel Fabray. Yes we are," she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes and stood a little straighter. The man glanced down at Quinn, "May I ask your relationship to Ms. Fabray," he said I a professional tone. "She's my _wife_," Quinn spit back. She didn't mean to sound so harsh but her patience was wearing thin, she just wanted answers. The doctor nodded his head and then gesture for her to take a seat.

"Your wife collapsed due to a build of fluid in her lung. I understand that this is something that has happened before and with your wife's condition it's quite common. Taking into consideration the short time span since Rachel's last episode and the stress her body has been under lately, I would say this occurrence was down to a lack of proper healing time," he explained. "Rachel's lungs showed signs that they were still fighting the tail end of a lung infection which flared up again. However Rachel's lungs were under a lot of strain and there was an immense amount of fluid in both lungs," he said squinting his eyes as if that made him look more serious. Quinn just shook her head trying to get her head around it all.

"What does that mean? Is she okay?" she asked turning fully in her seat to face the man, bracing herself for fear of bad news. "She's stable. We've had to surgically install a chest tube to drain the fluid from her lungs, but we'll have to keep the tube in for a couple of days and then take her back down to surgery to have it taken out. But after that she should be fine," he said with a smile that was barely noticeable. Quinn heaved out a sigh of relief, feeling like for the first time in hours, she could breathe again. "Can I see her?" she asked hopefully. Not wanting to spend another minute away from her wife. The doctor nodded and told her to take the lift to the third floor and that Rachel was in room 347.

Without so much as a sideways glance at her family and friends, Quinn thanked the doctor and bounded off to the elevator. Hitting the button for the third floor she stood back and waited for what felt like an eternity for the doors to open. As if her wish had been granted, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Quinn practically ran down the corridor looking for room 347 before finally her eyes fell upon the numbers outside the room. Coming to a stop, she inhaled a shaky breath and released it and then she took quiet steps through the door.

Her gaze instantly fell upon her frail wife, lying in the bed, the beeping of the heart monitor and the noise of the oxygen machine pumping fresh oxygen into the mask that covered Rachel's nose and mouth, were the only sounds in the room apart from Quinn's rapidly beating heart. Taking tentative steps towards the bed, she walked around to the far side and pulled the plastic chair closer to the bed, choosing to sit as far away from the tube that was sticking out of Rachel's left side for fear of accidentally tugging on it or moving it. Reaching out her hand she grabbed a hold of her wife's and cupped between hers, hoping Rachel would feel the warmth and the connection between them even as she slept. Quinn just wanted her to know she was there.

"You know, you really need to stop scaring me like this. You're aging me faster than I would like," Quinn said through a chuckle. Bringing Rachel's hand up to her lips she placed a kiss on it and held it close to her chest as she leaned closer to the bed. "Rach, I love you so much, and I have so many plans for the future, _our_ future. But I need you by side for that future to happen," Quinn managed through shaky breath as tears escaped her eyes. "I was thinking that, after we graduate college, we could take that trip to Europe and make an extended stop in Ireland. Remember you said you wanted to go there with me? We could do that. And then we could come back and get a start on our careers, and really start on building our lives together, you know," Quinn said more as a statement than a question.

"Maybe when we're settled we could start a family, have a mini diva running around the place," Quinn chuckled, the idea of a mini Rachel performing the perfect diva storm out making her heart soar. "I want that Rach. I want that with you so much. I want a little girl who looks just like you, with your hair, and those beautiful brown eyes. And I want her to have your courage and your passion. You're big heart. I just, I can't wait for you to be a mom, cause I know in my heart, you'd be the best mom, and I would be so, so proud to raise my kids with you," the tears falling fast now as Quinn pictured their future, mini Fabray's running around in the back garden in the sunshine as Quinn stood behind Rachel, arms wrapped around her wife's swollen pregnancy belly, feeling their next bundle of joy kicking as they watched their other kids play. It was future Quinn wanted so badly that she would do anything to achieve it.

Standing up, Quinn stood closer to the bed and cupped what was visible of Rachel's cheek under the oxygen mask and leaned down, placing a long lingering kiss on her wife's forehead. "I love you so much Rach," whispered against her wife's cheek before placing a kiss there and then sitting back down. Grabbing a hold of her wife's hand again, Quinn leaned forward and rested her head on her arm and closed her eyes, visions of the future floating through her mind as sleep finally took hold of her and carried her off to dreamland, her grip on Rachel never faltering.

**And Rachel is still battling on like a brave soldier. So I've been planning out the future of this story and where I see it going and I may have dropped a few hints in this chapter, however not all of them will occur, or they won't occur as you expect them to. Hmmmm….evil I know, but I promise it will be an emotional rollercoaster. **

**Anyways hope you like and please please PLEASE review. I love to hear what you think. The more reviews I get the more motivated I am to update! Talk soon **


	15. Chapter 12

**New chapter! Whoooo! Okay so this is just a little warm up introductory to Quinn and Rachel the college years. Yes, there had been a time jump since the last chapter, please don't hate me for it. I know some of you wanted to see Quinn deal with what had happened to Rachel and how things were handled with regards to Kurt and Santana, but to me it seemed pointless spending an entire chapter focusing on that. It won't be completely forgotten however, what happened after will be explained in the next chapter or two. Anyways I hope you like this introductory chapter, I'm not familiar with the timing of the average college year in America so I didn't place a specific date and time on this chapter but it is set at the beginning of Freshman year. Once again thanks for all the reviews and for adding this to your favourites and story alerts! Much appreciated. Enjoy!**

New Haven, Connecticut – Freshman Year.

_Beep beep, beep beep._ As hazel eyes fluttered open, Quinn groaned as she blindly reached out and smacked the alarm clock to silence the dreaded sound that woke her from her peaceful slumber five days a week. Bringing her arm back down she rested it on the sheet covering her stomach as her other arm gently squeezed the sleeping form it was wrapped around. Turning her head, Quinn beamed down at the sight of her wife's head resting against her chest, their naked bodies pressed together under the sheet Quinn had pulled over them the night before after they had made love, an activity that was limited only to times when Rachel was up to it.

Running her hand up and down the small diva's side, Quinn basked in the feeling of tan skin under her finger tips, softly caressing every inch. As she reached Rachel's upper torso where her rib cage was she was greeted with the familiar sensation of the three inch scar where a chest tube had once taken up residence. A painful reminder for Quinn of just how easily things for Rachel could go so horribly wrong if her health wasn't properly taken care of. The memory of Rachel lying prone in a hospital bed flashed through Quinn's mind, causing her to inhale a sharp intake of breath as she fought with herself to hold back her emotions.

Rachel could actually feel Quinn remembering their wedding night. Every time her wife's fingers lingered just a little too long on that one spot on her body, she knew exactly where her mind was at, and she knew she needed to bring Quinn back to the present. Tilting her head up to face the blonde she cupped her wife's pale cheek in her hand and gently caressed it with her thumb. "Hey, I'm right here. Right here in your arms safe and sound," she uttered out in a husky post sleep tone that just melted Quinn. Leaning down, the blonde connected their lips and pressed her forehead to Rachel's. This is exactly what she needed. Just to feel Rachel, kiss her, hold her, to sooth the ache that came with remembering. Finally pulling away Quinn glanced back over her shoulder at the clock and sighed.

"Okay, time to get up," she said as she kicked her legs out over the side of the bed and padded across the room in nothing but her birthday suit, pulling clothes out of their wardrobe and grabbing underwear from the drawer. Rachel sat up in the bed and carefully wrapped the sheet around her naked form as she watched Quinn prepare for the day. "I'll have breakfast waiting when you get out of the shower," she said, standing up and grabbing a pair of sleep shorts and Quinn's Yale sweatshirt and pulled them on. Even though Rachel had her own sweatshirt, something about wearing Quinn's made her feel safe, and so they would spend nights fighting each other for the article of clothing before the blonde would eventually cave in and let Rachel have it.

The girls had been at Yale now for the past two weeks, and after a week of introductory classes and some student bounding exercises, regular classes had commenced. The college had been informed of Rachel's condition and so she was granted permission by the board to part take in classes through online extension, meaning that whenever Rachel had to be at chemo or was too ill to show up for regular classes, she could keep up with course work and lectures online, while Quinn helped her with the more practical side of their theatre course. It was a blessing for them both knowing that the diva would be able to keep on top of her course work.

Rachel had yet to make new friends or acquaintances as she had spent the last week going through radiotherapy, however she was aware of the fact that Quinn had met some new people, two of which she was forming new friendships with and she was happy for her wife. However she often wondered if Quinn was ever going to introduce her to these new friends of hers. Walking into the kitchen, Rachel made a start on breakfast and was about to crack an egg open when she heard the pitter patter of paws coming across the floor before her feet were nearly taken from under her by the arrival of her furry little friend.

"Good morning Arthur," Rachel cooed as she bent down to pat the little French bulldog pup on the head. Although the girls had never discussed the idea of getting a dog, Rachel was surprised one night to find Quinn arriving home from the gym with a little friend wrapped snuggly in her arms. The blonde had visited a rescue centre with her new friend Nicole who worked there on the weekends and while perusing the various dog kennels, she came across little Arthur and her heart melted at the sight of the little golden brown pup. She told her wife she couldn't leave him behind because he reminded her too much of the little diva. Rachel was slightly offended at first, asking if this was a joke in reference to the fact that both the diva and the dog had rather big noses. However Quinn quickly poured water over that fire and explained that it was because they were both small, loved to cuddle, fit perfectly in her arms and were both so adorably cute people couldn't help but admire them. This made Rachel swoon and she cordially welcomed little Arthur Fabray to his new home.

Although Quinn had claimed that the dog was in every way a miniature Rachel in dog form, the diva was quick to refute the claim, noticing that Arthur was in fact more like Quinn than the blonde realised. They both loved to sleep, they both loved their food, they both loved to snuggle into Rachel's back whenever the diva slept and the little pup had even developed a protectiveness over Rachel, often spending hours lying next to the diva when she was too sick to move off the couch. This was a trait Quinn quickly learned to love about Arthur and she hoped it would last as he got older.

Jumping out of the shower, Quinn quickly towelled herself off and brushed her teeth. The message alert tone sounded from her iPhone and Nicole's name flashed onto the screen. Opening the message she glanced over it before shooting off a reply and walking back into the bedroom. While dressing, she pondered over Nicole's idea of taking in a gig at a local bar at the weekend with Ben. She even suggested that Quinn bring Rachel along, and that's where her hesitation came into play. It's not that she didn't want Rachel meeting her friends, of course she wanted to show off her gorgeous wife, she was just worried about her friends meeting Rachel.

Her friends knew that Quinn was married, a fact the blonde was quick to point out when Ben tried to hit on her during lunch last week while also throwing in her gay pride flag to really put the boy off. While they were receptive to the idea, Quinn was hesitant to tell them about Rachel's cancer. That information was personal specifically to the diva and Quinn wanted Rachel to be the one who decided who she would tell and when she would tell them, and so she respected her wife's privacy and kept that information from her friends. A feat which was getting harder to keep under wraps when her friends were so eager to meet the girl who Quinn talked so affectionately about whenever the opportunity arose.

Quinn wanted to accept Nicole's offer, she knew it would be a great for Rachel to get to meet new people and for her to meet Ben and Nicole. But she wasn't sure if it was something she could commit to. With Rachel attending chemo three times a week, it was pot luck whether or not the diva would be feeling up to going out. So Quinn replied with a maybe for now and mentally made plans to organise get-togethers when Rachel's current round of chemo ended. After running the brush through her hair, she put it back down on her vanity table and grabbed the thin black hairband from one of the drawers and slid it on and then gathered together her phone and her brown over the shoulder messenger bag that she used to carry around her laptop and her assignments and heading for the kitchen.

The apartment the girls lived in was perfect for newlyweds who also happened to be college freshman. The Yale Theatre department was only a ten minute walk from the Smilow Cancer Centre, and the girls had managed to find a place within walking distance of both, although on days when Quinn wasn't able to drive Rachel to and from the centre, she was picked up by the taxi service run by the hospital. The apartment itself was way better than any student accommodation the college had to offer. The kitchen and living area was built around an open floor plan, the kitchen being closest to the door was located on the right as you entered with the dining area to the left, while the living and study areas were to the back of the space by the large window that had a nice view for stargazing.

The apartment had two bedrooms, a master bedroom and a guest room with one bathroom and an en-suite in the master, all located down the hallway to the left of the dining area. The apartment was a mixture of modern features with homely comforts. The kitchen was outlined in white with deep purple cabinets and stainless steel appliances and finishing touches with an L-shaped breakfast nook that separated the kitchen from the dining area. It also happened to be the place where Rachel seemed to spend most of her time, and Quinn would usually find her cooking up a storm, dancing around to the radio and singing into whatever utensil she happened to be holding, which is exactly how she found her when she walked into the dining area and set down her bag.

She was instantly greeted by Arthur who ran out from behind the breakfast nook to greet her, receiving a pat on the head from Quinn who moved quietly so as not to alert Rachel of her presence. Gliding across the room she walked up behind her wife, who was standing by the cooker and wrapped her arms around her tiny waists, squeezing her gently and burying her face in the crook of Rachel's neck and kissing it softly earning herself a smile from the diva, who picked up a plate and turned around to face the beaming blonde who's eyes were focused on the plate of eggs, bacon and toast, her mouth watering at the sight before her.

"You are an awesome provider," Quinn smiled as she leaned down pecking Rachel on the lips and taking the plate from her. Walking around the breakfast nook, she sat down on one of the stools and tucked into her breakfast, savouring every bite while dropping a small piece of bacon on the floor for Arthur every now and again which he hovered up instantly. Rachel smiled at the pair and then rolled her eyes and chuckled as she realised the irony of Quinn being a meat eating lesbian. The blonde took a sip of her orange juice and then looked up to face her wife who had begun cleaning up the dishes.

"I was thinking, after I pick you up from chemo that we could go the park, have a picnic. I could read, you could rest. You know, enjoy what's left of the sunshine before fall really sets in," Quinn suggested as he finished off her breakfast and then stood up to put her dishes in the sink where the diva was standing. Rachel removed her hands from the soapy water and dried them off in the towel before turning the Quinn and placing her hands against the blondes chest and staring up into inquisitive hazel eyes.

"We could," Rachel drawled out snuggling up closer to Quinn as the former cheerleader wrapped her arms around her waist, "Or, you could invite those new friends of yours over and we could watch some movies or just talk. You know, so I could maybe actually meet them." Quinn blew out a large puff of air, feeling a slightly guilty for keeping her Rachel away from her wife. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were embarrassed of me," Rachel muttered under her breath as she played with a button on the blazer beneath her hand. Quinn's eyes practically bulged out of her head at what Rachel had said. Removing her hands from around the diva's waist she brought them up and cupped the other girls face in the palm of her hands.

"Oh my God, baby of course I'm not embarrassed of you. I love you and nothing would make me prouder than to show you off," Quinn said as she placed a chaste kiss on Rachel's nose and then gazed down onto chocolate brown eyes that were questioning her, silently asking her to continue. "I just, it's hard telling people that your wife has cancer and I didn't want to do that unless you were comfortable with it. I want them to love you for who you are not because they feel sorry for you. I didn't want that for you. That's why I haven't introduced you yet," Quinn sighed. Rachel placed her hand around a pale wrist and kissed the palm of her wife's hand that was resting on her cheek.

"I love you for respecting our privacy like that but it's not like this is something I can hide forever. Look at me, I'm bald and I look like a skeleton," Rachel said through a self-deprecating laugh. Quinn shook her head and pressed her forehead to the divas. "You're beautiful," she responded causing the smaller girl to blush. Rachel refocused on hazel eyes, "Quinn people are going to find out eventually. These are your friends, you should tell them. If it's too hard for you to say the words then show them." Quinn frowned at that, "What you want me to bring them along to your chemo session and be like 'hey this is Rachel, my wife, by the way she has cancer'?" she asked sarcastically.

Rachel nodded her head. "If that's what it takes then yes. In fact you should bring them with you today when you pick me. If it doesn't freak them out and send them running for the hills then they can come back here and we can get to know each other." Quinn looked at Rachel with furrowed brows, "You're serious about this," she said more as a statement than a question. The diva wrapped her arms around her wife's shoulders and smiled. "Of course I'm serious. Quinn these are your friends. I want to meet them. I know that this cancer is _my_ disease but you're my wife and it affects _us _as a couple. For them to know all of you eventually you're going to have to tell them so why not now." Seeing the serious look that the diva was giving her Quinn knew that Rachel wanted this to happen and in a way she was glad. It meant she no longer had to keep her college life and her home life separate. She could feel a weight being lifted from her shoulders.

"Okay. I'll tell them. Today," Quinn said and it earned her a mega-watt smile I return. The couple crashed their lips together in kiss that had them both craving more, much more. But the sound of Quinn's iPhone bussing against the counter broke the moment and reminded them that the real world was waiting for them. "Ugh, I really gotta go," Quinn said pecking the diva on the lips. Walking over to the dining table she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder to settle across her chest and picked up her phone, pocketing it her jeans.

Walking over to the little doggy bed set next to the arm of the couch in the living area, Quinn bent down and kissed Arthur on the top of the head. "You be a good boy and take care of your Mama okay," she said and then laughed when the pup yapped happily as if actually responding to what she had said. Standing up she walked back over to her wife and pulled her into her capturing her lips for one last kiss before she left. "I love you. I'll call you later and let you know how it goes," she said. Rachel nodded in response. "I love you too. I'll see you later." With that Quinn grabbed the car keys from the bowl next to the door and waved goodbye before closing the door behind her. Today was going to be an emotionally exhausting day.

**So what do you think? Good introduction to college life? Please review and let me know what you think because I've been suffering from writers block so I'm not sure if this part of the story is heading in the right direction or not so any feedback would be greatly appreciated.**

**The good news is, I know exactly where Quinn and Rachel will be after college (yes after college *hint, hint), I know what they'll be doing, and how their personal and professional lives will pan out. However like I said, I have two very different endings marked out and what ending I choose will depend on what ending I think will benefit the story and make a greater impact on the reader.**

**Anyways enjoy and I hope to talk to you again soon.**


	16. Chapter 13

**Update! Yay! Hope you like. Thanks for the feedback and reviews. Really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy!**

Nothing soothed Quinn more after a two hour improve class like a grande vanilla latte with a splash of cream. Coffee was scarce in the Fabray household as Quinn was adamant that everything be organic or natural to benefit Rachel's health, so coffee was pushed aside in favour of herbal teas and vitamin water. However sometimes a girl just needed a pick me up, and while Quinn couldn't deny that she felt healthier and more refreshed because of their new diet, coffee was something she could never give up completely. There was just no beating that buzz or energy boost.

Picking up her iPhone Quinn checked the time, _12:24. _Rachel would be in chemo which meant if she was really going to tell her friends about her wife and make it to the centre to introduce them, she would have to do it now. Picking up her take away cup and her bag, Quinn stood from the table she had been occupying and exited the on campus coffee house and headed across the quad to the green area where Nicole had told her she would be with Ben, sitting on the park bench next to the oak tree. Within seconds of stepping onto the grass she spotted her friends in the distance sitting across from each other and laughing, probably at one of Ben's ridiculously unfunny jokes.

Nicole noticed Quinn first and the still laughing girl waved at her, the action resulting in Ben turning around and greeting her with a smile and a head nod. Aside from the fact one was a boy and one was a girl Quinn's friends couldn't have been more different from one another. Nicole had long dark brown hair that curled at the ends, a pale complexion similar to Quinn's and green eyes. She was about an inch shorter than Quinn and was slim in build. Ben on the other hand was the epitome of a California surfer dude. He had short blonde hair that was slightly darker at the roots, he had ocean blue eyes and a charming smile. He was muscular in build, a typical athlete and he wore the scruffy stubble look with pride because girls told him he looked like Paul Walker from the Fast and the Furious movies.

"Hey blondie," Ben called out as Quinn took a seat on the bench next to Nicole. The former cheerleader furrowed her brow, "You do know you're a blonde too right?" she asked sarcastically taking a sip of her coffee. The young man nodded his head and chuckled, "Yeah whatever, it's cuter when you use it on a girl," he said as he playfully reached over and squeezed her cheek which Quinn was quick to slap away. Nicole shook her head at the two, if she didn't know them, she would swear they were brother and sister. Putting down her book Nicole turned to face Quinn. "So have you thought anymore about that gig this weekend?" she asked twisting on the bench and crossing her legs Indian style.

"Yeah blondie, come hang with us. We wanna meet that wife of yours," Ben interjected as he grabbed a chip from his bag of Lay's salt and vinegar. Quinn glanced between her two friends, her heart rate picking up in anxiety because she knew the time was approaching for her to tell them about Rachel. "Yeah look, I'd love to hang out with you guys this weekend I just don't know if Rachel will be up for it," Quinn said through a shaky breath. Ben shovelled a handful of chips into his mouth and frowned at Quinn, "Dude, I'm starting to think you made up this whole wife thing to let me down gently," he said around a full mouth of chips.

Nicole scrunched her face up in disgust at Ben's complete lack of table manners and returned her attention to Quinn who was fidgeting with the lid of her coffee cup. "Come on Q come out with us. We're not gonna go crazy, we just want to meet Rachel and find out what's so amazing about this girl that you fell so head over heels in love and married her right out of high school," she said through a laugh, but she faltered when she saw the serious look that had taken over her friends face even though Quinn's eyes were firmly on the cup in her hands. "Q what's going on? You two haven't separated or anything have you? Because if you have we are so sorry," Nicole said eying Ben who was looking between the two girls with a confused expression on his face. Those words made Quinn sit up straight, she had to correct them, she had to tell them and she had to do it now.

"No, no…no! Rachel and I are very much still together. I'm very protective of Rachel and there's a reason I've been putting off introducing you to her. Rachel's sick," Quinn said and looked up at her friends to see them both frowning, wondering what exactly the problem was. "That's it? You've been keeping us from meeting her because she's sick. Well that's a bit of an overreaction don't ye think? Surely she's not that sick we can't meet her, what is it the flu? A cold? A student sized hangover?" Ben said sarcastically as he began laughing along with Nicole. "Cancer actually," Quinn said with a razor sharp tone reminiscent of her high school HBIC phase. An intense silence fell over the trio as her words began to sink in for her friends who suddenly looked like they had just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Nicole's eyes began to well up as she saw how tense and uncomfortable Quinn looked, her heart breaking for the girl sitting next to her.

"Oh my God! Quinn, why didn't you tell us?" the dark haired girl uttered out as she reached out a hand and rested it on the blonde girls forearm stroking it gently trying to offer some form of comfort. Quinn reluctantly looked up at her friends, choking back all the emotions that were caught in her throat threatening to break through her floodgates. "Because I wanted Rachel to enjoy being at college like any normal person our age. I didn't want people to treat her a certain way because they feel sorry for her. I wanted to tell you I just wanted it to be on Rachel's terms," Quinn explained. Nicole nodded her head in understanding and glanced across at Ben.

"So, how is she? I mean I know she's sick but how….." Ben trailed off not exactly sure how or what to ask. This was a sensitive topic and clearly it was hard for Quinn to talk about but she understood what he wanted to know so she decided that if they were really going to get to know Rachel they needed to know about her condition. "She was diagnosed a couple months before graduation. She started chemo and radiotherapy pretty quickly after that, she's already gone through one round of both, she just started her second last week at the cancer centre," Quinn explained. "How's it going? The treatment I mean," Nicole asked as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"After this round, they're going to run tests to see how the treatments working. We'll know more after that," the blonde sighed, already dreading the prospect of Rachel facing more needles and more tests. Both Ben and Nicole shared a look, almost as if sending each other messages telepathically before Ben nodded his head for Nicole to speak. The brunette placed an arm around Quinn's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Look, I know we haven't been friends long, but if there is anything you or Rachel need, Ben and I are here for you," Nicole said with a heartfelt smile. "Yeah we totally got your back," Ben added as he reached for one of Quinn's hands and cupped it between his own.

Quinn smiled at both her friends feeling relieved at having finally told them and overwhelmed by their reaction. They were genuinely nice people who she was glad to be able to call her friends. It was in that moment as Ben and Nicole sat close to her offering comfort and support that Quinn realised these were exactly the type of people Rachel could use in her life right now. Sitting up a little straighter she grabbed a hold of her bag and glanced at the time on her iPhone. "Do you guys wanna take a field trip right not?" she asked looking back and forth between the surfer and the brunette. They both nodded. "Good cause there's someone I want you to meet," she said. Her friends smiled at each other knowing exactly who Quinn was talking about so once they gathered their things they stood up and followed the blonde girls lead. Thrilled to finally be able to put a face to the name of the girl Quinn spoke of with such love and devotion.

When they arrived at the Smilow centre a little after one o'clock, everyone was feeling a little nervous, after all this wasn't exactly a normal way to meet someone for the first time. But these were the circumstances and they would just have to adjust to the situation as quickly as possible. Entering the lift, Quinn pressed the button of the floor Rachel was on and stood rooted to the spot. She glanced over her shoulder at her friends who smiled back at her, Ben placed a hand on her shoulder and Quinn tilted her head shyly. Once the doors opened Quinn walked straight up to the reception desk and signed their names on the visitor list and then glanced at the clipboard to find out which room her wife was in.

Ben and Nicole watched on and when a middle aged nurse approached the desk they saw her smile at the blonde girl. "Hi Quinn," the woman said as she side hugged Quinn who smiled back at her. "Friends of yours?" she asked eying the Ben and Nicole who waved nervously at her. Quinn looked at them a huffed out a laugh at their actions. "Yeah, this is Ben and Nicole," she said gesturing towards the pair. "Guys this is May. She's Rachel's guardian angel." May blushed and tapped the girl on the forearm. "Oh now stop that I'm just doing my job," she replied. "Please, you treat Rachel as if she was your own daughter. You're amazing," Quinn praised before turning to the reception desk to pick up her bag that she had put down.

"Okay well we gotta go if we want to get back before Ben's next class, so I'll talk to you soon," Quinn said and May nodded, before the group made their way down the corridor. When they reached Rachel's room, Quinn stopped and turned to face her friends. "Wait here a sec, I just wanna make sure Rachel's up for visitors first," she said with one hand on the door handle ready to go in. Her friends nodded in understanding and went and sat down on the window ledge across from them. Opening the door, Quinn smiled upon seeing her wife.

Rachel was sitting in the cream leather recliner chair asleep, the flat screen tv on the wall still on. Making her way across the room, Quinn gently removed the remote from her the diva's hand and flicked off the tv and then placed it on the wheelie table that was beside the chair. Standing in front of her wife, Quinn leaned down, cupping a sickly pale cheek in her hand and pressing her lips to a clammy forehead. Rachel's eyes fluttered open at the feeling, her unfocused eyes blinking away the sleep before landing on her wife, a smile creeping across her face.

"Hey beautiful," Quinn whispered, crouching down in front of the diva, her hand dropping from the cheek it had been cradling, down along a slim arm before reaching its final destination and grasping Rachel's hand, their fingers lacing together instinctively. "How are you feeling?" she asked as Rachel sat up a little straighter in the chair before picking up the face cloth next to her and wiping the swear from her brow. "I'm okay. The nausea hasn't been too bad but I'm expecting to go through a Linda Blair episode later tonight," Rachel huffed out through her infamous pout. Quinn smiled, knowing Rachel was only doing it because she couldn't resist it.

"So are you feeling up for visitors? Cause I brought some people who really want to meet you," Quinn said through a shy grin, loving the smile it brought to her wife's face. "You told them?" Rachel asked with a hint of awe in her voice, thrilled that Quinn was finally opening up. The blonde nodded her head and stood up, bout remained hunched over so that she was still at eye level with the diva. "They're outside. I'll go get them," Quinn said before kissing Rachel on the lips and giving her forearm a squeeze and then making her way to the door and walking outside to find Ben and Nicole still sitting on the ledge engaging in a serious debate about whether or not the Transformers movie franchise was better off with or without Megan Fox. Ben of course was pro Fox. It was a guy thing.

"Guys, come in," Quinn gestured with her hand as she held the door open for them to enter. Standing up they slowly made their way into the room, not wanting to startle the girl waiting inside considering they were strangers to each other. The pair were nervous, they weren't sure what to expect, but since they were in a cancer centre they had spent the last couple of minutes preparing themselves for whatever awaited them. Passing by Quinn they both smiled at her and then stepped into the room. Rachel smiled her big diva smile at the new people and pushed herself up in the chair.

"Hi," she said with her usual enthusiasm. "Don't pay any attention to this stuff," she said gesturing to the drips attached to her catheter, "it's not as bad as it looks I just like to make a memorable first impression," she joked. Ben laughed and moved towards her. "A girl with a sense of humour, I like you already. I'm Ben," he said as he put out his hand for her to shake. Feeling more at ease now that the tension in the air had been wiped out, Nicole moved forward next and placed a hand on her chest. "I'm Nicole, but you can call me Nic. Everybody else does. It's great to finally meet you, Quinn talks about you constantly," she said as she took a seat on the couch that was sitting against the wall facing Rachel, Ben sitting on the arm.

Quinn huffed out a laugh and crossed the room and took a seat on the arm of Rachel's chair, placing her arm across the top of the back rest so that Rachel could effectively snuggle back into her, which the diva did on instinct. It didn't take long for Quinn's arm to drop from its resting place from the back of the chair to Rachel's shoulder, and then the diva responded be raising up her hand and lacing her fingers with the blondes relishing in the comfort it provided. Ben leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, a friendly smile set upon his face.

"So Rachel, your wife here tells us you're quite the singer. Any chance we'll get to hear you belt out a song anytime soon?" he asked. Rachel chuckled and shook her head. "Not right now, but I could probably be persuaded in the not so distant future. On one condition," she said and Ben narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh yeah, what's that?" he asked weary of what the diva had in mind. "We all do karaoke sometime," she said. Nicole shrugged her shoulders in an 'fine by me' manner while Ben clasped his hands together over his chest. "Little old me, sing with _THE_ Rachel Fabray. It would be an honour," he replied jokingly, "on one condition," he echoed. Rachel mockingly narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh yeah, what's that?" she asked. "You guys come to Cali for Spring Break so I can teach _you_ how to surf," the blond haired boy said pointing directly at Rachel.

"Deal," Rachel answered shaking Ben's hand. Nicole and Quinn just laughed at the pair. It was pretty obvious that the two overly confident members of this newly formed group were going to become close friends. The diva turned to Quinn and smiled. "Hey we could catch up with Mercedes and Puck and while we're there," she said squeezing her wife's hand. Quinn smiled down at her and leaned in closely to the diva's lips, "Sounds like an awesome plan," she said before capturing Rachel's lips in her own in a tender loving kiss.

"Aww that's so cute," Nicole mocked in a high pitched voice. The couple broke apart and Quinn glared playfully at her as Rachel leaned her back against the blonde's chest, enjoying the light banter and easy conversation going on around her. Just as the group were getting better acquainted, a nurse walked in to finish up Rachel's chemo and unhook her from the drips and tubes connected to her catheter. "Okay Rachel, you're all disconnected. Be sure to flush out your catheter tonight with this syringe," the nurses held up the syringe before placing it into a little medi bag that the diva used to carry supplies home from the centre. "Make sure you flush it out well to keep it clean and stop any infections okay," she said. Rachel and nodded at the nurse and thanked her.

Quinn stood up and picked up the medi pack and put it inside her bag. After checking the time she turned to face Rachel who was yawning. "Hey babe, do you want to take a couple minutes to rest before we leave?" she asked and when she received a nod she turned to her friends who were gathering there stuff together. "We should probably get going anyways," Nicole said politely, knowing it was best they leave to let Rachel rest. Quinn smiled appreciatively. "It was lovely meeting you Rachel. We should all hang out soon," she said. Ben nodded enthusiastically, "Definitely. Let us know if you're up for hanging out Saturday night. If not we'll totally have a DVD night soon," he said playfully bumping fists with Rachel.

"That sounds great. Bye guys. It was wonderful meeting you," the tired diva said through a husky voice. Quinn showed her friends out and walked down the corridor to the elevator with them. The girls embraced quickly as they waited for the doors to open. "Thank you so much for today. It meant a lot to Rachel meeting new people," Quinn said clasping her hands together. "Thank you for sharing her with us," Nicole replied with a warm smile. "Yeah Rachel's awesome we're totally gonna be buds," Ben added. The doors of the elevator dinged open and the two friends stepped inside waving at Quinn before the doors closed. The blonde smiled to herself. Today had been a good day.

**Aww… what nice people.**

**Next up it's the anniversary of the day Rachel and Quinn got together and Quinn has big plans. We'll get a little insight into the early days of Quinn and Rachel's relationship.**

**So if you're eager to find out what happens, please review, reviews make me happy and motivate me to write.**

**Thanks again and I'll talk to you soon **


	17. Chapter 14

**Update! Yay! Sorry for the delay, I've been super busy the last couple of days. Anyways here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

_Her eyes lazily flickered opened and then shut again, the sound of bare feet shuffling slowly down the hallway on the hardwood floors outside the bedroom making her smile because she knew exactly what that meant. Opening her eyes half way she beamed when she saw Rachel emerging through the door, her long brown hair dishevelled from sleep, and there, nestled in her wife's arms was a fussing new born baby girl. Quinn's heart burst with joy when Rachel climbed into the bed next to her, the whole family snuggled together, the scene was perfect._

_As the diva began to unbutton her sleep shirt for feeding time, Quinn sat up and carefully adjusted the pillows behind her wife to make sure she was comfortable. When she was done she sat back against the headboard and instantly her wife leaned into her side, preferring to be supported by the blonde who was more than happy to accommodate her girls. Wrapping her left arm around the divas shoulders, she placed her right arm under her daughters back to help support her weight while Rachel fed her. The baby was tiny and weighed next to nothing but Quinn would use any excuse to hold her baby girl whenever she could and this allowed her to participate during the feeding sessions. _

_Once Rachel had unclasped her bra she directed her nipple towards the baby's mouth and watched on with a smile as the baby instantly latched on, a tiny hand coming to rest on the diva's breast as the sound of suckling filled the room. Quinn couldn't help but release a small chuckle, her daughter loved feeding time. When she turned to look at her wife, she found a pair of heavenly dark brown eyes gazing at her, love and adoration being reflected back at her, she could actually feel Rachel touching her soul. She leaned in and placed a loving kiss on the diva's lips, silently thanking her for giving her a perfect family, the family she had always wanted, before they both returned their gaze to the little angel watching them from her place resting in her parent's arms._

_Quinn gazed lovingly at her little girl, who with her head of dark brown locks and deep chocolate brown eyes, was all Rachel, and Quinn was completely and utterly head over heels in love. The little girl had Quinn wrapped around her little baby finger. Yep, she was definitely a mini Rachel. As Quinn pressed her forehead to her wife's temple she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of her daughter, the scent of innocence, and placed a kiss against her wife's soft skin, basking in the feeling of contentment. As she sat there with her girls wrapped protectively in her arms, she could feel herself drifting off, and then a flash of light….._

The sun beaming in through the gap in the curtains jolted Quinn awake from her peaceful slumber. Rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hand she stretched her arms and legs and yawned, a smile settling on her face as memories of the vivid dream she had been having flashed through her mind. Those were her favourite types of dreams. Not dreams of success of magical adventures, but dreams of the future family she and Rachel longed for. Those were the dreams that meant the most to her. Turning on her side, she gazed down on her wife who was still fast asleep on her stomach, wrapped up in an oversized Yale t-shirt that the diva wore as a nightdress.

Quinn was a little worried that Rachel's position couldn't have been too comfortable with a chest catheter in the way, but she didn't have the heart to move the girl who was clearly content the way she was. Glancing over her shoulder, Quinn looked at the clock, it was eight thirty, which meant she had plenty of time to nip out and make it back before Rachel woke up. It was a Saturday so the diva was guaranteed to sleep on. Turning back to face her sleeping wife, she leaned down and placed soft kiss on her cheek, before easing herself out of the bed, careful not to rouse the Rachel from slumber. Today was a special day and Quinn was going to make sure they both enjoyed it.

Walking down the street Quinn was just about managing to juggle a gourmet picnic basket, a bag of groceries, a bouquet of flowers and her iPhone, which was currently pressed to her ear, as she listened to the clearly upset Latina on the other end. "San, look I get that you're pissed, but Britt will graduate this year and she'll be in New York with you before you know it," she tried to reassure her friend who was having a hard time adjusting to being on her own in the city with her friends and girlfriend scattered across the country.

It had taken the girls a while to get back to this happy medium. After Rachel's incident then night of the wedding, Quinn had found it difficult to forgive her friends, but Rachel had been quick to point out that they were just doing what she had asked of them and had she known she was in immediate danger she never would have asked them to have kept quiet. So eventually, Quinn came around, but not without warning them that if they ever did something like that again she would cut them out of her life permanently. Harsh, yes, but Rachel was everything to Quinn and she would not tolerate anyone, no matter how closed they were to her, putting her wife's life in danger.

After Santana and Kurt had both made it clear that it would never happen again, they eventually earned the blonde's forgiveness and were back to being close friends by the time they all went their separate ways. Rachel and Quinn to New Haven, Santana to New York by herself after Kurt was rejected by NYADA, Mercedes and Puck to L.A, Finn to Georgia to try his luck at joining the army and Mike to Chicago. The remaining Glee clubbers remained in Lima, meaning that reunions were plausible during the holidays, although talk was rife that they be meeting up sooner if suggestions that Mr. Shue and Ms. Pillsbury decide to marry in November.

It was tough at first for everyone, not seeing the gang every day in the choir room like they were used to, but as time pressed, they all began to settle into the new norm and adjusted to their new lives. While it was inevitable that long distance would separate them all, one thing they could always count on, was the fact that they all shared a bond and a friendship that would last a lifetime and they would all stay in touch in whatever means possible. That was a given. This was one of the reasons why Quinn and Santana were back to where their friendship had been before their falling out, although at times Quinn wished they were still not speaking to each other, particularly when the Latina spent hours whining down the phone about missing Britt.

There was one thing Quinn was grateful for out of their reconciliation, and that was the amount of time Santana spent calling up Rachel, "just to talk and shit,". While the Latina made it a point that she was only calling up the diva to be civil, Quinn knew it ran much deeper than that, that Santana was too proud to admit it, that she genuinely liked and cared about Rachel. Under normal circumstances Quinn would tease her friend relentlessly, but she didn't have the heart to when she realised that Santana's calls, which usually coincided with Rachel's chemo sessions, gave her wife a boost, because there was one thing Santana was capable of that there people struggled with, and that was treating Rachel like a normal person.

Although people tried to act normal around the diva, at times it was difficult, especially when there were days when it looked like the diva could break. But Santana refused to change her approach, knowing that it would only frustrate Rachel being treated differently to everybody else. Quinn was more than thankful for that. Well she was until that one time Santana propositioned her wife with a wild night and the mention of a skimpy candy stripers uniform, all in good humour of course, but still, if anyone was to proposition Rachel it would be Quinn thank you very much. And so with a few more run of the mill 'everything will be fine', 'just hang in there' comments, Quinn disconnected the call and headed for home

Waking up from one of the best night's sleep she'd had in a while, Rachel stretched her arms and legs and frowned when she noticed there was more room on the bed than there should be. Opening her eyes she realised her wife was very much absent and this disappointed the diva. She wanted to wake up next to her wife and cuddle. It was a special day after all. "Quinn," the diva called out but no response was forthcoming. However before she could say anything else, the sound of tiny paws on wooden floors came down the hall in ran into the room in a burst of puppy energy. Rachel smiled as Arthur crashed into the bed and attempt to jump up, which only resulted in the diva falling into a fit of giggles at the ridiculousness of it before she flung her legs out of the bed and picked him up.

Once the pup was settled in her arms she noticed a gardenia flower and a note pinned to Arthur's collar. Holding the dog still, she unpinned the flower and smiled, _Quinn_, she thought and a beaming smile crossed her face. Unfolding the note she swooned _'Morning Sleeping Beauty. I'm waiting for you with breakfast on the balcony. Love Q x P.S. Happy Anniversary of the day I FINALLY got the courage to make you mine . _Folding the not Rachel tucked in the drawer of her bedside cabinet and a made quick work of putting on her headscarf. Once it was tied in place she picked up the gardenia and the pin and tucked it just behind her ear and heading out of the bedroom with Arthur hot on her heels.

Once she walked into the living area she gazed out onto the balcony and spotted Quinn leaning on the ledge people watching, a table set up outside with two chairs. Making her way across the room, Rachel gently tapped on the glass of the window to grab her wife's attention who glanced over her shoulder at the noise and smiled when she spotted the diva standing in the small doorway smiling shyly at her, Arthur sitting at her feet pawing at a fly that was hovering above his head, is if trying to tease him. It was the most adorable sight she had ever seen.

Turning around, she revealed a full bouquet of gardenias and she couldn't help but internally give herself a high five at how happy Rachel looked. "I was gonna get you your favourites, but these are kind of responsible for bringing us together so, they seemed appropriate," Quinn explained as she handed them to her wife who took a hold of them in one arm and then wrapped her free arm around Quinn's neck pulling her down into deep kiss. "They're beautiful. Thank you," the diva responded against the blonde's lips.

Gesturing to the table Quinn pulled out Rachel's seat and pushed it in once she was seated. Turning to the table she lifted the cover from the dishes in the centre and Rachel's eyes lit up. "Pancakes with vegan whipped cream and sliced strawberries, a fresh fruit salad with a helping of organic yoghurt, some herbal tea and of course freshly squeezed orange juice and whole wheat toast," Quinn finished, taking her seat and basking in the sight of Rachel practically watering at the mouth. It was unusual for her wife to have much of an appetite these days, so to see her actually excited about food made the whole thing that much more enjoyable.

"Quinn, this, it's amazing. You really didn't have to go to all this trouble," Rachel said feeling a little guilty about all the effort the blonde had gone to. Quinn waved off the diva's statement and went to work and filling their plates. "Correct me if I'm wrong but are you or are you not, up every morning cooking me breakfast before I leave for college?" she asked with a pointed look, daring Rachel to challenge her. The diva simply blushed and began pouring a small amount of golden syrup on the pancakes that Quinn her placed in front of her.

"Yeah, but that's nothing compared to everything you've done and have been doing for me over the last couple of months. You have gone above and beyond to help me with this," Rachel said, her left had resting gently over her chest where catheter lay. Quinn pulled her chair around next to Rachel and placed her hand over her wife's to rest on the table. "You don't get it do you? Rachel what I'm doing now will never even being to compare to what you have done for me. You saved me. From a family who couldn't and wouldn't accept anyone or anything that didin't fit their image of perfection. From a life spent hiding who I really was out of a fear of being rejected and ridiculed. From ending up bitter and living the life my family wanted, a Lima Loser behind a Stepford mask. From being someone I never wanted to be," she said tears welling in her eyes as she remembered the person she used to be.

"Because of you I'm exactly where I want to be. I'm at the college of my dreams, living my life as an openly gay woman with the love of my life by my side. I have friends, real friends, people who will remain in my life for as long as it lasts and for the first time ever, I can picture a life that makes me so excited for the future. You make me want to do better, to be better, and that's because of you. Rachel you are saving me every day of my life. So if holding your hand through this repays even a little of what you've done for me, then I'll never let go." As Quinn gazed up into teary brown eyes, she waited for Rachel to respond, instead she found herself in a lip lock, arms wrapped around her neck holding her close.

Once the moment had passed, both girls returned to eating breakfast which almost seemed like an endurance test for Rachel. If Quinn had gone to so much trouble, she was going to enjoys as much of it as she could, regardless of the feeling in the pit of her stomach that was fighting with her to stop. It was given that the diva would be sick later, but if it kept that smile on Quinn's face for the time being, it was worth it. Just as she was finishing the last sip of her tea, Quinn turned to her and stood up. "So are you up for a little picnic and some cuddling?" the blonde asked with a sly look on her face. "Why Ms. Fabray are you re-creating our first official date?" Rachel asked with a knowing look. "Why yes Mrs. Fabray, I believe I am," Quinn responded pecking the diva on the lips and then turning to the table to begin clearing up. Laughing, Rachel stood up, "Okay, just let me shower and change then we'll go," she said pecking Quinn on the nose and then headed back inside to prepare for the day.

Two hours later the girls found themselves perched on a blanket under a large tree, just enjoying one another's company. Quinn sat with her back against the trunk of the tree with Rachel resting between her legs with her back resting against the blonde's front, their arms wrapped around Rachel's stomach. Arthur was currently laying in the grass playing with his new favourite toy, a tennis ball. Quinn claimed it was the best thing ever because she rarely had to actually through it, the thing would just roll all by itself whenever Arthur nudged it with his nose or paw and it would keep him entertained for hours.

"I have something for you," Rachel's voice broke Quinn from her thoughts and she turned to nuzzle her nose to Rachel's temple. "I thought we agreed no giving each other gifts unless it was a particularly big occasion and we were both rich and famous," Quinn replied earning a chuckle from Rachel. "I know but this is something I've been putting together and I really want you to have it," the diva said as she reached for the oversized carrier bag she had brought with her and pulled out a big leather bound book. Placing it in Quinn's hands she watched on as her wife stared down at it in shock amazement. "Rach," Quinn sighed in a hushed tone, her finger tracing the gold inscription on the front.

_Fabray Family Memory Book_ was across the front of the large book in elegant script. "I didn't actually get that on it till recently. But after reviewing everything in it, it just seemed appropriate," Rachel explained as she turned to lean against Quinn's shoulder. The blonde smiled at her and opened the book. The first page was simple, just a picture of Rachel and Quinn laughing and holding each other. It was from their first date and the heading across the top said _The Beginning._ Every page after that detailed the girl's relationship from that point on, from mementos from their dates, to fun adventures they'd had together, lyrics from songs that had special meaning to the girls, pictures and other things that most couples would disregard, like two ticket stubs from the first movie the girls had gone to that they both actually enjoyed.

Next Quinn turned to a page that had a picture of the girls on their wedding day with the word _Forever_ etched across the top. The next couple of pages followed the girls wedding day, the day that forever became a reality. It brought a tear to Quinn's eye looking at the picture of the girls during their first dance, their foreheads touching and smiles on their faces, perfection. The next page made Quinn's heart soar, it was a picture from their Graduation day with all the Glee clubbers, Mr. Shue, Ms. Pillsbury, Coach Beiste, Sue, the Berry men and various other family members. The caption at the top of this picture was the most meaningful, it simply read _Our Family_.

Pages and pages of pictures followed of the girls with various glee clubbers in and outside the classroom, at competitions and on random days of fun. Every picture had something written beside it or a happy memory from that day. There were pictures of the girls with Leroy and Hiram and with the teachers they had come to recognise as family. It may have been weird and probably very dysfunctional, but they all belonged to each other. Rachel also dedicated a couple of pages to the _New Addition_, pictures of Arthur followed, pictures Rachel had obviously tried to get him to pose for with little success. The best one however was one of Rachel fighting with the pup for possession of her show. Quinn didn't recognise it so she figured it must have been taken recently.

"That one was an experiment, I wanted to make sure your present worked," Rachel stated calmly. Quinn's head shot up and she glanced down at Rachel. "Present, what present?" she asked. Rachel reached back into her bag and removed a brand new Canon 5D Mark III, with zoom lens and neck strap and placed it in her wife's hands. "Before you go on a rant about how expensive it was don't. This a gift I've been wanting to get you for a while. Since you wouldn't tell me what you really wanted for Christmas and your birthday, and since I didn't have time to get you a proper wedding present, I decided to just get you one big present to commemorate them all. I know how much you love photography and I figured this would be perfect for you to pursue that passion. So please, do me a favour and use this camera and take hundreds or thousands of pictures so we can fill up the rest of this book. Someone needs to document our kid's lives and clearly I'm not that well equipped to operate a camera," she finished pointing to the picture of her fighting with Arthur.

Quinn's eyes glazed over, not at the scrapbook or the camera, but at hearing Rachel talk about their future kids. A smile lighting up her face, Quinn wrapped Rachel in a hug and whispered a thank you. She couldn't wait to begin filling in the rest of those pages. "I love you," Quinn whispered against the shell of Rachel's ear before placing a lingering kiss on the girl's temple. "I love you too," Rachel replied and tightened her grip on her wife, chuckling softly when she saw Arthur abandon his ball and sit up, yapping happily at his 'moms'.

**So there it is. Hope you enjoyed. Again sorry for the delay. Please review, I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter.**

**Next up, Rachel and Quinn await the divas test results and it's not all good news. Plus the gang reunite in Lima for a wedding that has been 3 years in the making. **

**Talk soon.**


	18. Chapter 15

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been so busy with family weddings and birthdays and other commitments that I haven't had time to sit down and update. But things have finally settled down so I got down to it and finally got round to typing up the next chapter. Again than you to all my loyal readers and reviewers. I really appreciate the reviews and support. I hope you enjoy the update. Be warned, it's rather angsty.**

Laying on the hospital staring at the angelic figure staring out the window, Rachel wondered how she had gotten so lucky? I mean sure she's had to deal with high school bullying, people always putting her down for being different and of course, her cancer diagnosis and on-going battle to beat the disease. But through all that, somehow, and she wasn't sure how, God, or whoever upstairs that was watching out for her, sent her a guardian angel, a saviour. They sent her Quinn.

Ever since she was a little girl, Rachel believed that the only way she would ever be happy and content in her life, was if she was standing on a Broadway stage performing night after night to packed out houses. That was it. That was her dream. But now as she pondered her future, she realised that the only way she would ever be truly happy was if she got to spend the rest of her life with Quinn by her side. Without her, then Rachel's life would be incomplete, and not even a life on Broadway, fulfilling her dream would fill that void. Quinn was everything to Rachel, everything.

She was her lover and soul mate, her best friend, her biggest fan, her greatest supporter and her tower of strength when she needed it most. If it weren't for Quinn, Rachel would probably have given up by now. The treatments were tiring and they really wore her down physically, mentally and emotionally and at times she did feel like giving up. But she couldn't, she wouldn't do that to Quinn, not when her wife had been fighting so hard for Rachel to get better. She had to do this for her wife, she needed to get better so that she could really begin her life with Quinn and do all the things they'd been dreaming and talking about since they began dating. She was fighting this for Quinn as much as herself.

Shifting her position from one foot to the other, Quinn glanced behind her to check on her wife and smiled when she realised that the diva was staring back at her with a loving look in her soulful brown eyes. Stepping away from the window, Quinn made her way over to the bed and sat down as Rachel shifted herself up into a sitting position. Once the diva had settled against the pillows she had propped up against the headrest, Quinn reached out and cupped Rachel's hands in her own, squeezing them gently.

"You okay? Do you want me to get you anything?" she asked, inching closer to her wife. Rachel shook her head no and then brought their joined hands up to her lips and kissed each of Quinn's hands. "No, just having you here as all I need," she smiled. Quinn blushed and leaned forward capturing her wife's lips in a loving kiss, bringing a hand up to gently cup the diva's cheek and then resting their foreheads together. Hazel eyes gazed into brown in awe. Even after being poked and prodded with needles for test after test, having her energy drained, Rachel was still the most beautiful woman Quinn had ever laid eyes on. That's what real love is, when you can look beyond physical appearance and see beauty in the simplest of things or the smallest of gestures.

Rachel may not be a classic beauty in terms of what the beauty magazines classify as beautiful or acceptable, but to Quinn, she was the epitome of the word. It was the diva's heart, her ability to extend love and friendship to people she has only know for the shortest of time, to forgive people who have hurt or done wrong by her and give them and how much she cared for those who were important to her. But most of all Quinn loved how much Rachel loved her, flaws and all. She loved that, in her wife, she had found a love that was unconditional and unwavering, that asked nothing of her in return other than to just be herself. Quinn finally had a steady support structure to balance her hopes and dreams on , and that was what made Rachel more beautiful to Quinn than any other woman she has crossed paths with.

Sitting back upright Quinn reconnected her hands with her wife's and held them in her lap. "So Santana called while you were resting. Apparently her flight touches down in Columbus just a half hour before our flight arrives in, so she's gonna hang around the airport and wait for us so we can drive back to Lima together," Quinn explained. Rachel smiled at the mention of the Latina's name. Sure they'd had their differences in high school, but independence and being free from the confines of high school social expectations had allowed both girls to mature and find a common ground. Rachel could honestly say that Santana was now one of her closest and best friends.

"It'll be great seeing everyone again. I hadn't realised how much I missed them until I realised this is the first time we'd be seeing them in, forever," Rachel sighed as she remembered the fun they used to have in the choir room every day. It would really give her and Quinn a much needed boost to back in a familiar setting with the people they care most about. "Oh what are we going to do about Arthur?" the diva asked moving to sit on the edge of the bed next to her wife, her legs dangling over the side like a child. One of the disadvantages of being short, although Quinn thought it was adorable.

"It's fine I sorted it. Ben said he could take him until we get back. His roommate is gonna be out of town for a couple of days so he said it wouldn't be an issue," the blonde responded, her gaze on her wife broken by the sound of a knock at the door. Turning towards the sound the girls smiled politely at Dr. Miller, the man who had been put in charge of Rachel's case in New Haven. He was a close friend of Rachel's doctor in Lima so they had been assured that they were in very capable and knowledgeable hands.

"Good afternoon ladies, sorry to have kept you waiting so long, there was a backlog of tests being processed so it took longer than expected," he explained as he closed the room door behind them and gestured for them to join him at the table chairs at the end of the room used to accommodate room visitors. Shifting off the bed the women held hands as they crossed the room to the two vacant seats across from the man. As he watched them he couldn't help but look upon them as young girls. They were only just out of High School, and here they were, both only eighteen years old living as two adult married women dealing with the strain of something he has seen many older couples struggle to deal with. He couldn't help but admire the strength of their relationship, but he also worried that they were dealing with too much, too young.

"Okay Rachel, the test results showed that your cancer isn't responding to the treatments like we had hoped," just as both Quinn and Rachel were about to say something, he raised his hand in a stop motion," but the cancer hasn't progressed since you've started treatment either. Now what that means is, if we put you on a stronger treatment plan we are confident that the cancer will regress into remission," he said with a soft smile. Rachel's mouth bobbed up and down as she struggled to form a coherent thought in her head, until she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and tug her close.

Turning her attention to her wife, Rachel looked up to find teary hazel eyes gazing down at her. "Did you hear that? They're gonna make you better," Quinn said as she allowed a choked sob escape her as the happiness built up in her chest. Finally registering what was going on Rachel broke into a huge grin, allowing her own tears to fall as she buried herself in the safe haven of her wife's arms and embraced her with everything she had. It had taken them the best part of a year just to get to this point, and now, finally, everything was falling into place.

After watching the happy couple hold each other for a couple of moments he readied himself for a difficult conversation as he coughed to gain their attention. The girls pulled apart, Quinn wiped her tears away quickly and then cupped Rachel's face in the palm of her hands and wiped away the divas tears with the pad of her thumbs, giving her a quick peck on the lips before they turned back to face the doctor, Quinn's arm still wrapped firmly around Rachel as they allowed everything to settle down so that they could continue. Once he felt they were ready Dr. Miller closed the file and sat forward.

"Rachel I think it's time you were prepared for what issues could arise post treatment. Most of the emphasis has been on beating the cancer but now that there's a certainty you will come through, it's about time we discussed what you may face down the road," he said looking back and forth between the girls. Quinn furrowed her brows and sat up straighter while also tightening her grip on Rachel. "Issues, what issues?" she asked her gaze on the doctor never faltering as she tries her best to wait patiently for him to continue.

"Rachel's body has been put through a great deal with these treatments," he said before turning to face Rachel directly. "The chemicals that have been pumping through your body to fight the cancer are stronger than most drugs and while they are used in a positive way, they can have negative effects on your body down the road and with the strength of the drugs in this new course of treatment and the fact that your body has had to endure so much, you may be more susceptible to these side effects," he said watching as Rachel's face seemed to run through a range of different emotions, as if conflicted with how she should be feeling. Quinn on the other hand was not having such difficulty as she powered on through with the rest of the consult.

"What kind of issues or effects are we talking about here?" Quinn asked in a biting tone, the HBIC within her having been awoken. The doctor glanced at Quinn and, even with the steely exterior she was putting on, he could see it in her eyes that she was just as scared as Rachel. However he could also see that the blonde was in no mood to be treated like a child, he would just have to plough ahead and get this over and done with, like ripping off a band aid. "We may be looking at damage to the organs, mainly towards the upper area to the chest where the radiation was directed. And there may be the possibility of reproductive damage such as infertility," he finished in a professional tone that left no room for emotion.

Rachel felt like she had just had a lead weight dropped on her chest, _infertility,_ she thought. But what when she and Quinn were old enough to start a family? Rachel's bottom lip trembled as she turned to face her wife needing her to do something, to make all this go away and make everything better. Quinn gazed back at those brown eyes and she could see clearly, the inner turmoil that was currently raging within her wife and it shattered her not being able to do something to fix it. Instead she did the only thing she could do, she wrapped both arms around Rachel and pulled her tight against her, rest the diva's head snug against her chest and just held her.

Half an hour later the girls found themselves sitting in silence in the car ride home. Rachel sat with her head resting against the window while Quinn gazed at her every now and again almost in anticipation of her wife breaking down in heart wrenching sobs. But there was nothing. Rachel was completely stoic in her movements and emotions. At the end of the consult Dr. Miller had explained that they would test Rachel after treatments had been completed but the likelihood was, even if the diva's reproductive system was still working, it would be a difficult process to conceive a child, if she managed to at all.

Quinn did not take this well. I mean sure she could still bear them children if needed be, but none of those kids would ever be a mini Rachel. Something Quinn had been dreaming about since they got engaged. A little girl who Quinn would bring to Broadway shows to see Rachel perform to packed houses, who she would spend hours dancing around the living room with singing along to every musical ever made and who would smile at her with that same mega-watt smile and heart melting brown eyes. Knowing that may never happen for them was slowly chipping away at her heart and it pained her more thinking how Rachel must be feeling.

Once they pulled into the underground parking lot of their apartment complex, Rachel was out of the car before Quinn had even turned off the engine. The blonde could only watch as her wife made her way inside the building and up to their apartment. This was not how she had anticipated the day turning out. Shutting off the engine and climbing out of the car, Quinn made her way inside and up to their apartment. The door was still opened so Quinn just walked inside and shut it behind her, flinging the car keys into the bowl by the door. Noticing the kitchen and living room were empty, she figured her wife was in the bedroom.

Slowly making her way down the hall she stopped at the door and found Rachel perched on the edge of the bed, tear stained cheeks glistening from the light coming through the window. Walking over to the bed, Quinn sat down and placed a comforting hand on top of Rachel's. This seemed to snap the diva out of her thoughts and she immediately wiped away her tears and stood up walking towards their closet pulling out a suitcase. Quinn sat there confused, they weren't due to leave for Lima until the end of the week, why was Rachel packing now?

"Rach, baby, what are you doing?" she asked standing up and walking over to Rachel who had pulled an armful of clothes out of the closet and was stuffing them in the suitcase that was sitting on the end of the bed. "Packing. We're only 18 if I leave now then you still have plenty of time to move on and find someone else you can settle down with and start a family," Rachel rushed out. Quinn stood rooted to the spotted, shocked at what she was hearing. It wasn't until she watched the diva pull out another armful of clothes that she jumped into action. Blocking Rachel's path Quinn grabbed the clothes from her arms and threw them to the side.

"Rachel STOP!" Quinn shouted grabbing a hold of her wife's upper arms and preventing her from moving. "Look at me," she said trying to get Rachel to look up but the diva kept her focus on the floor, teardrops falling from her eyes. "Rach, LOOK AT ME!" Quinn said raising her voice as she brought a hand up under the diva's chin and tilted her head up until their eyes connected. Seeing the pain in those beautiful brown orbs broke Quinn's heart. Just once he wished things would work out for them. Reaching down Quinn grabbed a hold of her wife's left hand brought up in front of the diva's face.

"See this," the blonde said, pointing to Rachel's wedding band while also holding up her own ring bearing finger, "for me, this is forever, and nothing….," when Rachel tried to look away Quinn cupped her face in the palm of her hands and gently held the diva's head in position preventing her from looking, "NOTHING! is going to change that. Do you hear me? Nothing," she finished her focus solely on the eyes staring back at her. But Rachel was having none of it as the flood gates opened up and her tears came down quick and fast. "No! Quinn you deserve better… y-you deserve someone who can give you everything you've ever dreamed of. N-not someone who's broken so p-please just let grab my things and go," Rachel cried out through choked sobs as she squirmed in Quinn's embrace, trying to get her wife to release her.

"NO!" Quinn stated firmly as Rachel tried harder to break free of her hold, but Quinn wasn't going to let her go. The diva was hurting and Quinn needed to show her that she was not going anywhere, that this was not going to break them. "Quinn please just let me go," Rachel said as she began thrashing flailing her arms about. "Quinn let…me…GO! PLEASE!" the diva screamed as she repeatedly thumped her hands against her wife's chest trying to push her away. But Quinn didn't give in. She just gripped Rachel firmly by the wrists and pulled her flush against her and held on as tight as she could, effectively ending the diva's outburst.

Trapped in the safe arms of her wife who was holding onto her for dear life, Rachel did the only thing she could do in that moment, she clung to the front of Quinn's shirt, buried her face in the blonde's chest and allowed herself to break down and cry. As the diva's knees began to tremble Quinn lowered them to the floor and pulled Rachel onto her lap, leaning against the bed as she sat there holding her wife, allowing her own tears to fall as the sound of Rachel's sobs pierced through her heart like a knife. "Shh. I'm right here baby. I'm right," Quinn whispered through a shaky breath as she pressed a kiss against Rachel's temple, silently cursing a God who could do something like this to someone as kind as her wife.

Three days later and Rachel was just as down trodden. Not even the thought of seeing her friends and former Glee coach was enough to boost her spirits and Quinn was hoping actually being home would somehow bring back the diva's optimism and fighting spirit. Walking through Columbus International Airport, Quinn laced her fingers with Rachel's and held on tight as they made their way through arrivals. As clearing formed up ahead they spotted the familiar figure of a Latina, arms crossed over her chest and a weekend bag hanging from her shoulder smirking at them.

"Figures it would take Mr. Shue finally growing a pair and getting hitched before I'd see you two again. What? Don't they have transportation in Connecticut?" she asked in her usual snarky tone. "The train goes both ways Satan. If you missed us that much you could have come and visited," Quinn retaliated. Both girls stared each other down much like they used to when they were Cheerio's before they both broke into grins and chuckled. "It's good seeing you Q," Santana said as they embraced. When they stepped back, Rachel smiled at the Latina, "We really have missed you Santana," the diva said as she embraced the brunette. Santana snorted "Yeah whatever shorty," she replied, but the bite was gone from the Latina's tone as she hugged the diva back just as tightly. They had long gotten over their hostility towards one another and formed a friendship that Santana Lopez never thought she would be grateful for.

"We ready to go?" Santana asked once they had broken the embrace. Just as Quinn was about to respond Rachel cut in, "Actually I have to go to the bathroom real quick. I'll be right back," she said as she handed Quinn her handbag and dashed to the bathrooms just up ahead to the left. Santana watched on until the diva was out of sight before turning to Quinn and noticing the change in mood. "Is everything okay with you and short stack?" she asked curiosity getting the better of her. Quinn rubbed her brow before nodding her head. "Yeah everything's fine between us it's just…," she trailed of realising this was not the place to be having a deep conversation.

"Look can we talk about this later, you know, in a more private location," she said gesturing around her. "Rach is dealing with some stuff right now, so please, go easy on her," Quinn said as she looked at Santana. Seeing the pleading look in her friend's eyes Santana knew not to push it, so she nodded her head and complied with the blonde's wishes. Just as they had finished with their conversation Rachel returned from the bathroom and immediately clasped her hand with Quinn's. The diva had been more clingy than usual the last couple of days, and knowing how vulnerable she was right now, Quinn was more than accommodating to her needs, holding her whenever she needed to be held. Santana glanced back and forth between the two and then smiled at Rachel, surprising the diva by linking their arms as they made their way to the exit. Ready to reconnect with all their fellow Gleeks.

**Poor Rachel. The girl just can't catch a break. **

**Please forgive me for any medical inaccuracies, I'm not a doctor so I have no clue what I'm talking about, I just take bits and pieces and throw them together for dramatic effect. **

**Anyways I hope you enjoyed the update and please, please, PLEASE, leave a review. I love hearing your thoughts they really inspire me to write and update. Talk to you soon.**


	19. Chapter 16

**Again thank you so much for the reviews. The response was amazing. It's wonderful to see how passionate people are about these characters and how much you want to see things work out for this pair. So thanks again and I hope you like the new update.**

"Congratulations Mr. Shue," Rachel said hugging the man who had been like a third father to her in high school. "And Mrs. Shue," Quinn chuckled as she embraced Emma. The wedding had been beautiful, low key, just close family and friends, and of course all the members of the original New Directions. Mr. Shue had thought about inviting the new members of the Glee club. However Emma pointed out that it would be pointless because neither Will, nor Emma, had any sort of emotional attachment to the new kids. The original members were special because they were a huge part of Will and Emma getting together in the first place, they helped shape the man Will had become and because of that they had a special bond with them, there was no way they could have gotten married without those kids there to celebrate it with them.

Standing there with his wife by his side gazing down at the two women in front of him, Will felt like a proud father. They had come such a long way together and he couldn't put into words how happy he was to see them, still going strong, at Yale University of all places. "I'm so glad you guys could make it. All of you guys. It means so much to us," Will said as Emma nodded her head in agreement, "It wouldn't have been right getting married with a big part of our family missing," Emma responded, looping her arm around Wills.

"So how are things with you girls? It's been so long since we've talked," the ginger woman asked a beaming smile on her face. Before Quinn could say anything Rachel cut in returning Emma's smile with one of her own, but Quinn could tell it was simply a show face. "Everything's going really good, great in fact. I had a consult a couple of days ago and they're confident that with some adjustments to my treatment plan that the cancer should go into remission," she said. Quinn stood their speechless. She didn't want to lie to her former Glee coach and his new wife, but she didn't want to upset her own wife either, so she just nodded her head and responded with a lopsided smile.

"Oh I just spotted Kurt, could you excuse me," Rachel said adjusting the strap on her dress and waving at her best friend who was sitting at a table across the way. "Come join us when you're ready," she said to Quinn before removing herself from the conversation and crossing the ball room as her wife watched on. "Is she alright?" Mr. Shue asked hesitantly, noticing Rachel seemed rather off the entire day. Quinn turned to face the man and gave him a weak smile before waving off the diva's mood. "She's fine. She's just a little tired from the chemo and the plane ride yesterday. It's hard on her dealing with treatment and college. It takes a lot out of her you know," the blonde explained choosing to omit information rather than lie.

"Of course, well look don't feel obligated to hang around all day. If Rachel needs to rest we completely understand," Emma said, gently stroking Quinn's upper arm in a comforting manner as Mr. Shue smiled in agreement with what his wife had said. Beginning to feel uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had taken Quinn decided to excuse herself so she could catch up with her wife and Kurt. Just as she was about to make her way across the room, Santana walked up behind her and linked their arms.

"Not so fast blondie, you and me gots some catchin' up to do," the Latina said dragging Quinn towards the bar area which was relatively quiet as everyone was scattered around the room at different tables. "Santana I really don't want to talk about this right now," Quinn sighed as she ran her fingers through her side fringe sweeping it back off her face. Santana forced the blonde onto one of the bar stools and sat in the seat next to her ordering two drinks from the barman and then facing her friend. "Well tough shit 'cause we are having this conversation right here right now. I know something's up with mini Streisand and whatever it is, it's taking its toll on her, and on you and I ain't about to sit back and watch you two fall apart faster than a Kardashian wedding so start talking," Santana ordered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Quinn gazed into the fiery brown eyes that were glaring at her. Under any other circumstances she would have been worried, but she could tell Santana was just concerned for her two friends and their wellbeing. Glancing across the room to the table Kurt, Blaine, Mercedes and Rachel were occupying, she noticed that her wife was nodding along to whatever conversation was going on but not really paying attention. The whole scene saddened her. Usually Rachel would hang on to every work Kurt spoke. Inhaling a sharp intake of breath she exhaled it, nervously scratched her forehead and then turned back to face her best friend.

"Remember Rachel's consult a couple of days ago?" Quinn asked watching as the Latina nodded and furrowed her brow in a 'duh' manner. "Uh, yeah. You said they were putting her on new meds and that they were sure it would fix her up," Santana said waving her hand about to move the discussion along. "Yeah except that wasn't all they said," Quinn replied looking down at her hands before reaching for the bourbon Santana had somehow managed to get the barman to give them. Taking a big swig, she winced at the burning sensation that she felt in her chest before setting the glass down.

"They told Rachel that there may be some health complications later on after treatments are done," Quinn explained taking another swig as Santana did the same. "Wait, complications? Shit like what?" the brunette asked setting the glass back down on the bar. Quinn circled her finger around the rim of the glass holding back a tear that was threatening to fall. "She may have reproductive issues. There's a chance the treatments may have damaged her fertility," Quinn answered, her voice cracking as she spoke.

"Damn," Santana sighed in exasperation, "But they can do something right. I mean there's procedures and stuff they can do," Santana queried as she watched Quinn polish off the last of the bourbon in her glass and holding it between her hands, gazing into the bottom of it as if hoping it held the answers to her problems. "They said that if we wanted to, they could extract some of Rachel's eggs before she begins the new treatment and test them to see if fertility has been affected. Problem is, because Rachel is already undergoing treatment her fertility may already have been affected. The only thing they can do is hope for the best and if they manage to extract healthy eggs they can fertilize them and freeze them for whenever we're ready to start a family," she finished placing the glass back on the counter and pushing it away.

"But that's a good thing right, I mean there's still a chance everything will be okay" the Latina tried to argue, trying to give the blonde some hope. Quinn just huffed out a laugh and began rubbing at her bow with the palm of her hand in frustration. "Yeah that's if everything else works out. There's still a chance that her body may not be able to handle a pregnancy, or that the eggs are useless," the blonde spat, the tension of the last few days coming to a head. Santana reached her hand out and placed it on her friends back and began running soothing circles. "You can't think like that Q. If you give up hope then you might as well have no chance at all. Have you and Rach talked about it at all since the consult?" she asked to which the blonde shook her head no.

"It's been hectic the last couple of days with college and chemo and prepping for this trip," Quinn responded flicking the bracelet on her wrist. Out of her peripheral vision Santana spotted her bubbly blonde girlfriend approaching them with a big grin on her face, her big blue eyes sparkling. "Hey San, Rach said she wanted to go for a walk so we're gonna go to the park down the street and feed the ducks. Do you and Q wanna come?" she asked as she rocked on the balls of her feet in excitement. Santana turned to look at Quinn. "This could be your chance to have that talk," the Latina suggested and Quinn looked at her knowing that she was right. "Yeah Britt, let's go to the park," the former HBIC said, earning an ecstatic _yes_ from her former cheer mate.

"Okay cool. I'll tell Rachel and we'll meet you guys in the lobby," Brittany said as she bounced off to the table where she had left the diva. Once she was gone, Quinn and Santana stood from their stools and headed for the lobby, taking up residence on one of the couches next to a grand piano to wait for their better halves. When Santana noticed Quinn nervously fidgeting with the hem of her dress she placed a hand on the girls forearm to settle her. She was about to say something when she spotted Brittany hurtling out through one of the doors to the ballroom followed close behind by Rachel. And Kurt and Blaine and Mercedes and Sam, typical Brittany, you send her to retrieve one single person and she returns with a flock as if she were a sheep herder.

Quinn groaned when she noticed the approaching group. How was she supposed to talk to Rachel with half the New Directions tagging along? Just as she was about to back out and feign a migraine, Santana gripped her arm and leaned in to her ear so only she could hear what she said. "Don't worry, I'll distract Britts and the others so you and the wifey can have some privacy," the Latina said in a hushed voice before she pulled back and stood up to greet Brittany who bounded over to her and linked their pinkies pulling her towards the exit followed by the other couples. Quinn stood up and smiled at Rachel offering her hand to her wife who graciously grabbed a hold of it, lacing their fingers together and clinging to the blondes arm as they tailed the rest of the group.

The park was only a five minute walk down the street so they made it there in no time at all. Mercedes chuckled to herself as she and Sam glanced at the other three couples in the group. "I still can't figure out how one club in all of Ohio had this many gay people?" Mercedes said with a chuckle. Kurt smirked at her and bumped shoulders with Blaine "I didn't even know there were this many gay people _IN_ Ohio," he retorted earning a chuckle from everyone. "Maybe when we're down here can all go down to city hall, get our mack on and piss of some tight ass conservative Republicans," Santana suggested with a look that left no room for joking.

"You realise that not all Republicans are against gay marriage, just like not all Democrats are for it," Blaine argued, believing it unfair to generalise all people by the beliefs of their political party. Santana scoffed and rolled her "Ugh whatever. It's all politics it all sucks. Especially if you're gay, and that, is a fact," she said noticing Quinn giving her the eye from the back of the group. "Enough of the stupid talk let's go feed the damn ducks before Mr. Shue realises half his club is missing," she said stalking off towards the large pond area up ahead to the left. Without further argument the other two couples followed suit.

When Rachel went follow, Quinn halted her movements by tugging on their joined hands and turning the diva to face her. "I think it's time you and me talk," she said in a gentle voice to Rachel that she wasn't looking for an argument, just a talk, to clear the air. Brown eyes looked up at her and Quinn could see the hesitation. "It's just a talk Rach. I just want to us to clear the air so I can figure out what it is I can do help you. To help us," she offered up, gently squeezing both of Rachel's hands, and the gesture seemed to placate the diva as she nodded her head. "Okay," Rachel said in a hushed voice. Gripping her wife's hand tightly in her own, Quinn guided them to the path up towards the right hoping to find a park bench nearby where they could sit down.

What the blonde hadn't anticipated, was unexpectedly leading them in the direction of the new kids playground that had recently opened. _Great. Just what Rachel needs to see when we're about to discuss our uncertain future,_ Quinn thought as she slowed in her step wondering if Rachel was going to turn on her heel and bolt. Instead the diva continued walking, glancing at the small children playing on the swings and in the sand boxes as she passed. Releasing the diva's hand Quinn wrapped it around her wife's waist and pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple and smiling when Rachel gazed up at her, a grateful expression on her face.

"Do you wanna sit there?" Rachel asked pointing to a vacant bench under a tree a couple of feet from where they were standing. Quinn glanced at Rachel unsurely, checking to see if her wife was okay with their current location. Seeing the indifferent look in the brown eyes gazing back at her she nodded her head and guided them over to the bench. After taking a seat, Quinn turned sideways so she was facing her wife, placing her elbow on the backrest so she could rest her head in her hand. She smiled when Rachel laughed at two little girls who were standing on the tower of the jungle gym pretending to be princesses.

"Rach, about what the doctor said at the consult. You know that it doesn't matter to me right. That I love you with all my heart and we'll figure this out," Quinn said, almost in a questioning tone. Rachel turned to face Quinn and couldn't help feeling guilty for the almost, scared look in her wife's eyes. She had spent so much time over the last couple of days dealing with her own issues and pain that she had failed to realise that this was hurting Quinn just as much. Reaching her hand out she gripped her wife's which was resting between them on the bench. "Quinn of course I know that and I love you more than anything," she said placing her hand over her heart to emphasise how much she cared.

"I guess…it's just," Rachel muttered, tripping over her words as she tried to make sense of her thoughts so she could verbalise them to Quinn who was sitting patiently, rubbing her thumb over the back of the hand she cradled in her own. Finally Rachel seemed to have figured out what she wanted to say so Quinn straightened up, giving the diva her undivided attention. "I just want you to know that, regardless of where our kids come from, whether they're biologically yours, or if we adopt or whatever, I will love them so completely with my whole heart and nothing will hinder that. Not genetics not anything. I just want to be clear on that," she said as Quinn piped in, "… baby I feel the exact same way. I don't care where they come from, just as long as they're ours," Quinn said with a smile on her face as she reached up to cup Rachel's cheek in her palm, gently stroking the diva's cheek with her thumb.

"It's just, knowing that I may never get to bear a child. To carry him or her for nine months, feel them kick, it would feel like I'm being prevented from serving part of my purpose as a woman you know," Rachel tried to explain and Quinn understood completely. From a young age we are taught as human beings that one of our main purposes on this earth is to reproduce and bear children, everything else is purely an extension of that purpose. From that point of view Quinn could see that Rachel was feeling let down by her body more so than anything else and she needed the diva to understand that this did not change how Quinn saw her. She was not a failure and this would not define Rachel's purpose in life.

"Baby I need you to listen to me okay and understand that what I'm about to say is with complete honesty about how I feel about this," the blonde stated as she grabbed a hold of both her wife's hands. "Nothing would make me happier than to raise kids with you. Just seeing you be a mom and do all those things a mother does, it warms my heart just thinking about it. And whether those kids are brought to us through you, or me, an adoption agency or even the damn stork Brittany was taking about in junior year they will be the most loved kids in the world because they will be ours," Quinn gushed as seeing the tears beginning to form in the diva's eyes and the hint of a smile beginning to develop on that beautiful face.

"And even if we don't have kids at all, that's okay too. As long as I get to be with you I don't care the future does or doesn't hold. You're all I need," the blonde said as she wiped away a tear that had fallen down the diva's cheek. "I just want you Rach, only you. Anything else that comes our way is a blessing and a bonus. But if, when we're ready, you want to try and have a baby, I will do everything within my power to try and make that happen. I promise you that," she finished with a look of determination shining in her hazel eyes as she cupped her wife's face in the palm of her hands.

Rachel reached up and placed her own hands on Quinn's heart shaped face, her tears now falling freely as she licked her lips and tried to calm her heaving breath. "I love you so much," she managed before connecting their lips in a kiss that expressed her feelings. Nothing was forced, it was firm but sweet, both girls were left breathless when the pulled apart, Rachel's arms around Quinn's shoulders, while Quinn's rested around her wife's waist, holding her impossibly close. "I love you too," Quinn sighed as she reached up ran her hand along the silky material of Rachel's headscarf.

The moment between the pair was broken by the sound of a wolf whistle coming from the left of where they were sitting. Rachel glanced over Quinn's shoulder and spotted the rest of their companions standing behind a guilty looking Latina who was being reprimanded by a bubbly blonde. The diva chuckled and turned back to her wife who had also seen the exchange. "I think they want us to head back to the wedding," Rachel said. Quinn nodded before standing up and once again offering her hand. "Let's go before Santana gets in anymore trouble she blame us for on the ride back to the airport tomorrow," Quinn sneered as she gripped Rachel's hand in her own as they made their way back to the rest of the group.

Santana gave Quinn a knowing look and couldn't help but smile when Rachel bounced up next to Kurt and they began chattering away like old times as Quinn sidled up next to her. "Looks like Tigger got the spring back in her step. I take it you got you shit together," the Latina asked looking at her friend while also keeping an eye on Brittany in case she decided to chase after a wayward duck, again. Quinn couldn't help but laugh at her friends "smooth talking". "Yes Santana we got out 'shit' together." Looking up ahead, Quinn noticed Rachel chatting away animatedly with Kurt and glancing at her, throwing her a smile and then focusing back on Kurt who was looking rather excited. She couldn't help but smile at the sight as they slowly made their way back to the wedding reception.

Later that evening the band was in full swing and everybody had been up dancing and having a good time. As Quinn and Rachel sat down, Kurt ran up to the lead singer of the band and whispered something in his ear and the man started nodding in understanding before returning to the mic. "Ladies and Gentlemen we'd like to welcome Rachel Berry to the stage to sing for us." Quinn turned and looked at her wife with a look that was a cross between shocked and delighted. Rachel giggled and stood up. Before walking away she leaned down and whispered in Quinn's ear. "Listen carefully because I mean every word," she said and then made her way to the stage.

Quinn couldn't help but let a tear fall. This was the first time Rachel had stood on a stage and performed for anyone since the New Directions won Nationals. Sure she would sing around the apartment and she would sing to Quinn after they had made love because the blonde would make requests before they fell into a deep sleep. But this was different, this was special. Because when Rachel performed on a stage, she shun brighter than any star ever could. Just then, the music began to play and the blonde instantly recognised the song, her heart soaring as the diva's eyes fell on her.

When I first saw you I already knew

There was something inside of you

Something I thought I'd never find

Angel of mine

I look at you (looking at you) looking at me

Now I know why they say the best things are free

Gonna love you 'til the end of time

Angel of mine

What you mean to me you'll never know

Deep inside I need to show

You came into my life sent from above

Better than a dream, such a perfect love

And I'll adore you 'til the end of time

Angel of mine

Woah waoh, angel, yeah, oh

Nothing means more to me than what we share

No one in this whole world can ever compare

Last night the way you moved is still on my mind

Angel, angel, of mine

What you mean to me you'll never know

Deep inside I need to show

You came into my life (my life) sent from above

Better than a dream, such a perfect love, perfect love

And I'll adore you 'til the end of time

Angel, angel, of mine, of mine

Angel, oh angel, angel

I never knew I could feel each moment

As if it were new

Every breath I take or vow that I make

I want to share it with you, share it with you

When I first saw you I already knew

There was something inside of you

Something I thought I'd never find

Angel of mine

You came into my life, sent from above, up above baby

Better than a dream, such a perfect love

You're such a perfect love

And I'll adore you 'til the end of time

Angel of mine

What you mean to me you'll never know

Deep inside I need to show

I look at you, looking at me

Now I know why they say the best things are free

Gonna love you 'til the end of time

Angel of mine.

As the music died out Quinn and the entire ballroom stood up and applauded, and in that moment, gazing at the love of her life who was staring right back, she felt that maybe things would work out for them. Maybe not right now, but eventually. And Quinn couldn't wait to see what adventures they would have when that happened.

**So… what do think?**

**Please, please, please review. This was one of my favourite chapters to write and I really want to hear your thoughts. Talk to you soon.**


	20. Chapter 17

**Update! Yay! Sorry for the delay was a little busy. Again thank you all so much for the reviews. I think it's the most reviews I've received for a single chapter, so again thank you. I hope you like this one. The last two chapters were a little angsty so I wrote a pure fluff chapter to ease up on the drama. I hope you like! **

"I know they said this new course of treatment would be tougher, but I didn't expect to kick my ass," Rachel whimpered as she curled up in the bed, dripping sweat from every pour and trying to stop the room from spinning. It was bad enough trying to deal with the side effects of the new drugs, but coming down with the flu just a couple of weeks before Christmas, was really not helping her mood very much. She just felt so ill all the time. There was little or no reprieve. It also wasn't helping that Quinn was on edge about the fact that Rachel's chest was congested. The poor blonde was so focused on making sure the diva didn't pick up another lung infection.

Standing in the kitchen, Quinn could hear her wife from the bedroom and she couldn't help but sigh. She felt so bad for her wife but there was nothing she could physically do for her except be there for her like any other time during the diva's treatment. Pouring the boiling water into the teacup, she dipped the teabag up and down in the water until it turned a light golden colour, before disposing of it in the trashcan. Opening up one of the presses she found a pot of honey and carried over to the counter. Digging out a spoon from the drawer, she scooped up a spoonful of honey and stirred it into the tea. Sure it seemed ridiculous putting honey in herbal tea, but it would make Rachel feel better knowing that she was taking care of her vocal cords.

Once she was finished she put the honey away and put the spoon in the sink to be washed later. Picking up the teacup she walked around the kitchen island and headed for the bedroom, beckoning Arthur to follow her as she went. It was funny watching him run now that he was bigger in size. He wasn't quite able to run as fast as he could when he was a pup but he still tried god love him. Walking into the bedroom, Quinn couldn't help but stop in her tracks at the sight of Rachel curled up in a ball shivering, beads of sweat glistening across her forehead under the light of the bedside lamp. The diva was cold now, but Quinn knew that at some stage during the middle of the night her wife would kick the covers off, only to crawl under them again in the morning.

Walking over to the bed, she set the tea down on the bedside cabinet, grabbed her Yale sweatshirt off the end of the bed and made her way to the en suite. After putting the sweatshirt on, she grabbed a facecloth from one of the presses under the sink and ran it under the cool tap, because Rachel would not be pleased if it was cool. Returning to the bedroom, she found Arthur curled up on top of Rachel's feet and it provoked a smile from the blonde. It was as if he knew Rachel needed warmth and was doing his best to give it to her. Continuing across the room, she stopped at the edge and climbed onto it and gently coaxed her wife into a sitting position.

Once Rachel was sitting up, Quinn propped herself up against the pillows and leaned back, pulling the diva back to rest against her chest with her head nestled comfortably under her chin. Quinn folded the facecloth into one long strip and gently held it across her wife's forehead in a bid to try and stop the sweat. With her free hand she grabbed the t.v. remote a flicked on the flat screen that Ben had helped her install on the bedroom wall. She instantly loaded Funny Girl from the cue on Netflix and then sat the remote down again. Picking up the teacup she held it down in Rachel's line of sight.

"Here baby, drink some of this. It will help," she said. Rachel slowly uncurled her arms from their place pressed tightly against her chest and gripped the cup in both hands carefully. Lifting her head she took a couple of sips and a hint of a smile graced her lips. "Did you put honey in this?" she asked, taking another sip. "Of course I did. Gotta keep those vocal chords in tip top shape," Quinn replied placing a kiss on top of her wife's head. Once Rachel had drank down about two thirds of the tea she handed the cup to Quinn who placed it back on the cabinet.

Leaning her back down against Quinn's chest, Rachel tilted her head up to look at those beautiful hazel eyes that just melted her. "You take such good care of me, thank you," she said reaching up and placing a chaste kiss on the blonde's lips. Quinn stoked the diva's cheek and smiled softly down at her, "You don't need to thank me. I love taking care, and I know for a fact if it was me you would be doing the exact same thing," she responded with a peck to those luscious lips she could happily get lost in. Rachel placed her hand on top of the one that was stroking her cheek and squeezed it tight.

"I hope you never have to experience anything like this, ever. I would go through this a thousand times over if it meant you never had to. I just, I couldn't bear to think of you being ill," Rachel sighed shaking her head a little as if to rid her mind of the very thought of her wife ever having to battle something like what she has. At those words Quinn felt herself fall deeper in love with the girl in her arms. To hear Rachel make a declaration like that, it just opened up her mind to how much this perfect person loved her, it blew her away.

"I wish there was a way for me to show you how much I love you. Just saying the words doesn't feel like enough. But I do Rae, I love you so much. And once you beat this, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure nothing like this ever happens again because I don't think I could live through watching you fight against something like this again. It breaks my heart," Quinn's voice quivered as she spoke but she refused to cry. Leaning down, she captured her wife's lips in her own and kissed her with such passion, it evoked every ounce of feeling the blonde had in that moment. Once they pulled apart, Quinn smiled. "Come on, let's watch a movie, it'll help you fall asleep," she said as she grabbed the remote. Rachel's eyes lit up when she saw Funny Girl loading as she cuddled as close to Quinn as she could get, her wife reciprocating by tightening her hold.

And just like Quinn said, Rachel was out for the count after twenty minutes, although she did fight valiantly to stay awake until Barbra sang her last song. Even with Rachel kicking off and pulling the covers back up throughout the night, Quinn managed to get a good few hours' sleep and when she woke up she was greeted with the sight of Arthur curled into the diva's front, right between them, Rachel's arm resting across him. _Sneaky dog_, Quinn thought as she chuckled and reached over the dog to place a kiss on her wife's temple before climbing out of bed and heading to the shower.

By the time the blonde had washed, dressed and eaten her breakfast, Rachel had stumbled out of the bedroom, the duvet wrapped tightly around her and Arthur traipsing behind, waiting to see where the diva was going to plant herself so that he could snuggle up beside her. Quinn glanced over her shoulder and spotted her wife walking towards her and turned away from the sink. "Morning babe," she said as she leaned down and planted a kiss on the smaller girl's lips, her still wet hands dangling in the air. Reaching behind her to the counter, she picked up a towel and dried her hands. "Do you feel any better?" she asked, pulling the floating duvet into her arms.

Rachel nodded her head a little but abruptly stopped when it started to spin, resting it against the blonde's chest. "A little. I definitely feel more rested," she said as Quinn guided her to the couch and sat her down, fixing the cushions so she could relax. Before she could sit down next to her wife, Arthur leaped up on the couch and plopped himself down right next to Rachel's legs, his head resting on her thigh. "You know, I never thought I'd ever be jealous of a dog, but I'm starting to think Arthur is competing with me for your affection," Quinn frowned as she gazed down at the dog, who was curled in her spot.

"Well, if it's a competition, you're really lagging behind. Step it up Fabray," Rachel barked smacking her wife on the ass playfully, earning herself a mock glare from the blonde who as gripping her backside. "Alright fine. Arthur you best start bringing you're A game cause this, right here," Quinn said leaning down towards Rachel and pointing, "All mine," she said and then proceeded to nip and suck on her wife's pulse point to make it bruise, earning herself giggles from the diva who found the whole thing ridiculous.

Arthur looked at the blonde when she returned her focus to him and released a little grunt and a bark before returning his head to rest on Rachel's leg. Quinn's eyebrows shot to her hairline, "Is he mocking me?" she queried, as Rachel erupted into a hearty laugh. Glancing at the clock in the kitchen, Quinn realised she was running late. Standing up, she walked over to the study area and picked up her messenger bag, slinging it over her shoulder before checking its contents to make sure she had everything she needed. After picking up her laptop and placing it inside she turned to her wife. "Hey Rach, do you have your play assignment done for Professor Bruckner?" she asked.

Rachel nodded and leaned her head on the back of the couch to face her wife. "Yeah, there's a copy in the top drawer of the desk and I uploaded a copy of the file to your laptop last night just in case," she explained as she watched Quinn open the drawer and retrieve the document, carefully placing it in her bag. "Okay, that's everything," Quinn said as she picked up her keys and her iPhone and made her way over to the couch and cupping the back of Rachel's head with her hand and leaning down for a kiss. "I'll see you later," she said, making her way to the door. Just as she was about to leave she turned in the open doorway and stopped.

"Oh, are you still up for movie night with Ben and Nicole or should I cancel?" she asked as she watched Rachel pet Arthur behind the ears. "No it's fine. I could actually use a good night in with friends," Rachel replied with a smile. "Okay, I'll see you later then. I'll get take out. Love you," Quinn said with her hand on the doorknob. "Love you too," Rachel called out before she heard the sound of a door closing. Glancing down at Arthur, Rachel scratched behind his ear. "Looks like it's just you and me buddy. Let's see what Fanny Brice is at shall we?" Rachel said as she flicked on the t.v. Arthur released a high pitched whine before turning his head away from the screen. "You know, you're just as bad as Quinn sometimes," Rachel said with frown as she narrowed her eyes.

Quinn sat in the lounge area of the local on campus hangout, a fresh coffee beside her as she surfed the net, thankful that Christmas Break had officially begun. The blonde was so engrossed in what she was doing that she didn't notice Nicole walking towards her table until the brunette opened her mouth to speak, her hand covering her eyes. "Please God tell me you're not looking up the same thing you were looking up the last time you were here," she pleaded as she took a seat opposite the blonde. Quinn huffed out a laugh before glancing up from the screen. "Hi to you too. And for your information, no, I wasn't. I was looking up flights," she explained as she took a sip of her latte.

"Flights, for what?" Nicole asked with a curious look on her face as she helped herself to some of her friend's half eaten muffin. Quinn returned her focus to the screen momentarily, clicking the mouse a couple of times before glancing back up at Nicole. "Uh, for Rachel's dads. Since she's in the middle of treatment, we thought it'd be easier on her to have Christmas here instead of going back to Lima," she explained to which the brunette nodded in understanding. "Plus my best friend from High School is in New York. Her family are going to the Bahamas for the holidays, and since her girlfriend is going to Utah with her family to her grandparent's house for the festive season, Santana has decided to spend Christmas with us," Quinn said.

"Wait, her parents are going to the Bahamas and she's not going with them?" Nicole asked confused. Quinn laughed at her expression and explained, "As a Latina, Santana is accustomed to having to spend most holidays in sunny climates, but Christmas is the one time of the year she refuses to go somewhere sunny. As much of a badass as she thinks she is, the girl turns into a five year old the second she sets eyes on the first snowfall of the season." Nicole laughed, because being honest, she could relate.

"Please God tell me she is not looking at what I think she's looking at?" Ben asked as he walked towards their table, his hand hovering over his eyes, mimicking Nicole's earlier actions. "What is wrong with you guys? You're talking like I was looking at porn or something," Quinn whined as she shut her laptop and packed it away. Ben sat down and raised his eyebrow, "Hey look, if it was porn, I could deal with that, but in-vitro crap, that went into too much detail for a guy who had not yet finished digesting his lunch," Ben stated tapping the table with his finger for good measure. Nicole pouted miserably "It even had pictures," she sighed before shaking her head in disgust.

"Its in-vitro fertilization, and you didn't have to look, you made that decision on your own," Quinn defended. "We were being supportive," Ben retaliated as he pulled an apple from his bag and took a large bite out of it. Quinn just shook her head, "Whatever," she sighed. Nicole suddenly perked up and leaned on the table. "Speaking of, how is Rachel, how'd it all go?" the brunette asked as she stole another piece of Quinn's muffin and stuffed it in her mouth as Quinn closed up her messenger bag and checked the time on her iPhone.

It had been two weeks since Rachel had her eggs extracted for testing, and after days of painfully waiting around to find out the result, the couple had been told that they had successfully extracted fertile eggs and they were being frozen until the girls were ready to start a family of their own. To say the couple were happy was an understatement, they were ecstatic. They both collapsed into a muddled crying heap on the floor after the phone call, and made love multiple times that night. It felt like a weight had been lifted, knowing that there was a chance that a mini Rachel could soon grace the earth with a personality as big as her mothers. The thought made Quinn swoon.

"Amazing. The eggs they extracted were all good. You should have seen Rach after she found out, she had this smile that was just, it just made me so happy to see it again," Quinn said as she twisted her wedding band around on her finger. Ben sat up and raised his finger, as if he were in a lecture. "If the eggs are all good why were you looking at in-vitro fertilization? I mean can't she just take the eggs back when she's all better?" Ben asked. Quinn and Nicole looked at him in a, _you can't be serious_ manner. Sometimes he asked the stupidest questions. How he got into Yale they'll never know.

"We still don't know if Rachel's body can handle a pregnancy, so I wanted to be prepared. We agreed that if Rachel had good eggs, but she couldn't carry a pregnancy that I would do it," Quinn explained remembering in detail the discussion they had had after the procedure. "Wow, you must really want a mini Rachel," Ben said through a chunk of apple in his mouth. Quinn blushed, then smiled at what he said, because it was true, she wanted one so bad. "You haven't seen pictures of Rachel when she was a baby. Cutest. Thing. Ever!" the blonde replied just as a message came through on her phone. _Rachel: Hey baby, just wondering if you were on the way home? Could you pick up some ginger tea? We've run out and I need something to settle my stomach. Love you xo R*_

Quinn smiled at the message, her wife could not text her without adding a star at the end. _Quinn: Hey sweetie, was just waiting on Nic and Ben, they just got here. Aw babe you feeling okay? Of course I'll pick some up. I'm gonna stop at the grocery store and pick up some treats for tonight. I'll be home soon. Love you too 3 xo Q._ After pressing send Quinn stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "You guys ready to go? I need to stop at the grocery store and we can pick up take out on the way." Nodding their heads, Ben and Nicole stood from their seats, grabbed their things and with that they left to enjoy a night in with some DVD's and a whole lot of junk food.

Opening the door to the apartment, Quinn, Nicole and Ben stumbled inside, laughing at young man's impression of Robert DeNiro. They had to admit it was pretty spot on. Placing the bags of food and take out on the counter they greeted Rachel who was sitting on the couch smiling at them, while Arthur stood with his two front paws on the armrest waiting for Quinn to come over and greet them. After filling the kettle to boil some water, the blonde dashed out from behind the kitchen island jogged up to the couch bending down to pet Arthur and planting a kiss on his head, and then turning to her wife and cupping her cheek in her hand, and giving her a deep kiss.

"Hi," she said smiling, as she gripped Rachel's hands in her own, "I got you the ginger tea, and we got take out from the Italian place we went to a couple weeks ago. I got you the butternut squash lasagne you loved." Rachel thanked her wife and made to move from the couch but Quinn held up a hand halting her movements. "No don't get up we'll eat here while we watch the movie," the blonde stated as she gently nudged Rachel back against the couch. Walking back over to the kitchen she smiled when she noticed that Ben has fixed up some ginger tea for her wife and watched him walk over to the couch. "Ginger tea and a hot blonde for the future Broadway Superstar. You are welcome," Ben smirked as he handed the tea over to Rachel who shook her head at his antics.

"Pfft, you don't need to tell me Quinn's hot, I married her," Rachel was quick to reply, wiping the grin off Ben's face. "Thanks babe," was hollered from the kitchen by a laughing Quinn who was helping Nicole set out the foot on the plates. "You really know how to knock a guy's confidence," Ben replied pretending to huff as he sat down on the other end of the couch next to the arm rest, his arms crossed over his chest. "Aww the baby," Rachel chuckled as she tossed a cushion at his head. Before a cushion tossing war could erupt, Quinn and Nicole appeared with the food and sat down, the blonde sitting in between the mischievous children, and Nicole on the armchair that was positioned near the armrest next to Ben.

"So what movie are we watching?" Nicole asked before taking a mouthful of her food. Quinn let out a little whine as she remembered it was Ben's turn to choose. "Well, it is Ben's night, what are we watching?" she asked turning to face the grinning fool. "It's got fast cars, hot babes, and lots of action," he said bopping his head up and down as he cued the movie. All three girls released a groan when _Fast Five_ appeared on the screen as loading. Just once they wished he would pick a movie with brain rather than boobs and brawn.

Luckily, like most movie nights, they ended up chattering through the movie rather than actually watching it. Nicole even flicked through the girls wedding album and the scrapbook Rachel had made for Quinn. "You guys are just the cutest couple. I mean seriously, you're like something out of a frickin' Nicholas Sparks movie," the brunette sighed as she glanced at the picture of the girls taken at their wedding reception. Their foreheads are pressed together as they gazed into one another's eyes. It was taken during their first dance, right under the stars.

"It must be so awesome finding the person you're meant to be with so young. I mean you guys will literally have forever with one another," Nicole said as she gazed at the couple on the couch. Rachel was practically sitting on Quinn's lap, her back resting against a cushion on the arm rest their fingers laced together on the diva's lap. "We think so," Rachel replied with a smile that Quinn reciprocates with a peck on her lips. "Is being married like they say it is? Do you like know each other's bad habits and quirks and stuff?" Nicole asked genuinely curious, Ben chuckling at her eagerness to know everything about Quinn and Rachel's relationship.

"Yeah, but I think it's more from just knowing each other rather than just being married," Rachel said as she played with Quinn's fingers. "I mean I know that Quinn loves to watch The Rocky Horror Show every Halloween because she loves how ironically not scary it is given its name. I know that Quinn hates dog ears in books, but she loves when she goes to an old bookstore and finds second hand books with little notes in the margins because she loves reading other peoples thoughts on the story and the writing. I know that even though she claims todays novels don't compare with the great literature of the past, she will still read the Twilight saga and the Hunger Games trilogy to find out what all the fuss is about.

I know that, even though she's only eighteen, she prefers hand written letters to emails or texts because she believes it's more personal. I know that Quinn can't sit next to a blank piece of paper and a pen without doodling something, just 'cause she can. I know that when she's sick, she loves to have vapour rub massaged onto her chest and back and that when I play with the fine hairs on the back of her neck, it soothes her to sleep. I know that Quinn loves photography, not because she enjoys taking pictures, but because she loves to spend time going through the pictures and trying to find the story within the image.

"I know that when she's really upset or angry about something, she needs a little time to herself to process her thoughts and emotions and then she loves to be held or cuddled because she needs that moment to feel grounded again. I know that Quinn never says I love you to anybody unless she means it, because she only wants to say them to the people who she knows will be in her life further on down the road. I know that Quinn prefers gifts that have sentimental value rather than monetary value because it shows how much a person cares rather than how much they think you're worth. And I know for a fact that I will love this woman for the rest of my life because there is no one that compares to her, not even close," Rachel finished, gazing into Quinn's awestruck eyes.

Nicole sat in her seat, eyes welling up with tears and her hand clutched to her chest, "That was beautiful," she sighed as she wiped away stray tear. Quinn squeezed Rachel's hand that was gripped in her own and smiled lovingly at her, "I love you too," she finally said as she leaned forward and kissed Rachel, their tongues coming into play momentarily until Ben coughed and interrupted the moment. "Oh my God, enough with this sap fest, you're making my balls shrivel up. Turning back to the movie Ben had just refocused when he was targeted by an onslaught of pillows being fired at him from both directions. _Chicks_ he thought to himself as a small smile appeared on his face.

**Aww.. yay for happy times. Hope you like it. The next chapter we are bringing back Santana and the fathers Berry for some family Christmas loving. Should be fun so stick around. And please review, I'd love to hear what you thought of the latest update. Bye for now.**


	21. Chapter 18

**So sorry it took so long to update. It was my 21****st**** and it's literally been non stop celebrations for the past week. Thank you all so much for the reviews, I couldn't believe how many I had received for the last update. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this update.**

"Santana calm down please, your pacing is doing nothing for my nausea," Rachel pleaded from her curled up position on the bed. It was bad enough the room was spinning even though the diva was stationary, but watching the frantic Latina pacing back and forth across the room was doing nothing to help the situation. Of all the people they were in Glee Club with, Rachel always figured Santana would be the one who would be useful in situations like this. Turns out, the "badass", was actually an out and out worrier.

"Calm down, you've been spewing your guts up every five minutes since you got home from chemo, which would be fine if you had the extra body fat you could afford to lose, but this," the Latina said pointing her finger up and down Rachel's skeletal figure, "is not okay." Walking over to the bed Santana sat down and for a moment looked uncomfortable as she tried to figure out what sort of touching was okay with the girl she used to torment, eventually she settled for placing a hand on the diva's shoulder and squeezing softly.

"Okay you're really not saying anything helpful right now," Rachel whined as she tried to focus on her breathing to try and ease the nausea. She was admittedly concerned about how sick she had been throughout the day, and with nothing solid in her system to come up, she was dehydrating herself every time she was bent over that toilet bowl, and she was beginning to feel herself struggling to stay coherent so as not to panic her worried friend. "San, could you please call Quinn and see if she's on her way home?" she asked as she curled herself further into a ball. "Yeah sure," the Latina replied as she stood up and drew the comforter up over the smaller girl.

Exiting the bedroom, Santana made her way down the short hall and walked over to the kitchen area. She picked up her phone off the counter and checked the time, _4:30p.m_, Quinn had been out all day running errands after dropping the Berry men off at a hotel. They had decided it would be easier all around to let Santana stay with the girls in the guest room while they booked a room, since they could afford it. That was three hours ago, and in that time, Santana had been going out of her mind trying to figure out ways to help Rachel. The Latina had never been in this position before and she was anxious, what if something happened again? Just as she put the phone to her ear to call Quinn, the girl in question came through the door.

"Where the hell have you been?" she asked frantically stepping out from around the kitchen island and coming to a halt in front of her best friend who was trying to balance two brown paper bags of groceries from the organic store in the middle of town and a bag of take out. Quinn knitted her brows together in confusion as she stepped around the Latina and dropped the bags on the counter. She was about to speak when Santana cut her off knowing exactly what she was going to ask. "Rachel asked me to call you. She's been hurling her guts up all day. I tried to get her to eat or drink something but as soon as she took a bite or a sip it came back up again. She's in a bad way Q, I'm worried," the brunette admitted shyly.

"Oh God," Quinn sighed, her hazel eyes softening in concern as she removed her snow covered scarf and coat and threw them on the study desk in the corner of the room before running a hand through her hair and quickly making her way to the master bedroom, Santana following close behind. Opening the door gently, Quinn made her way over to the bed and sat down stroking the back of her hand across Rachel's forehead. It was warm but there was no sweat and she could hear her wife's heavy breathing, the chapped dry lips a clear indicator to Quinn that Rachel was most definitely dehydrated.

"Santana watched from the doorway as her best friend checked over her sleeping wife and the sight melted her heart. Quinn was so gentle with Rachel. Every touch, every stroke against the cheek or forehead was soft and caring and you could feel the love the girls shared for one another every single time they were together. Their eyes just lit up and nothing could wipe the smiles from their faces. There's was a love for the ages, a love Santana hoped she and Brittany would someday have the privilege of experiencing, if they managed to survive the physical distance that had plagued their relationship since the end of summer. The Latina watched on as Quinn leaned down and placed a kiss against the diva's furrowed with the intention of rousing her from her shallow sleep.

"Rach, open your eyes babe, I'm here," Quinn whispered against her wife's lips, watching as her favourite brown orbs focused on her. Rachel reached up a hand and laced it with the blondes and pulled it close to her chest. Quinn used her free hand to gently stroke the smaller girl's forehead, their eyes locked together. "Talk to me, what can I do? Do you want to check into the hospital or do you want me to call May?" Quinn asked already knowing what the answer would be. Rachel shook her head no at the first suggestion and then quickly covered her eyes with the back of her free hand when everything started spinning as Quinn gently squeezed their conjoined hands.

"No, no hospital. I don't feel comfortable there, I wanna stay here with you," the diva managed through laboured breaths as she tried to supress the urge to be sick again. Quinn nodded her head and then leaned down scooping Rachel up into her arms and holding her close, almost pulling her into her lap. "Okay, I'll call May," Quinn said dropping kisses to her wife's temple and then readjusting the pillows before gently lowering Rachel back down against the bed in a more comfortable position. The blonde turned towards the door to her best friend who was silently watching the whole exchange.

"Santana, could you go to the bathroom and run a cloth under the cool tap? There are fresh clothes in the cabinets under the sink," she said as the Latina nodded her head and made her way into the en suite and making quick work of the task. When she returned she handed the cloth to Quinn who folded it and carefully placed it across her wife's forehead. Once she was sure Rachel was okay, Quinn pecked the diva on the cheek and stood up from the bed, ushering Santana out the door. Walking towards the living area, Quinn picked up her iPhone and scrolled though her contacts.

"Q, what are you doing? We should be taking her to a hospital," Santana said sounding frustrated at the situation. Quinn looked up from her phone and gestured for her friend to keep her voice low before she responded in a hushed tone. "Rachel doesn't want to go to the hospital, she's not comfortable there. She's dehydrated, she needs to be pumped full of fluids continuously and since she can't keep it down by drinking water they'll just hook her up to an IV and keep her there for a couple of days. If I call May from the centre, she'll set Rachel up with an IV here and I can monitor her fluid intake. That way she gets to stay home and we don't have to trek back and forth to the hospital over the holidays."

Understanding washed over Santana as she finally nodded her head and went to sit on the couch next to Arthur who was still sulking over being kicked out of the bedroom earlier. The dial tone on Quinn's phone was loud enough to echo around the room, she'd obviously turned it onto speaker for her brunette friends benefit. After what seemed like ages, there was finally an answer and Quinn got straight down to business. May had quickly assessed that the blonde was right and Rachel was severely dehydrated and promised to call over with the proper equipment and medical supplies immediately. Once the call was disconnected, Santana could physically see Quinn's shoulders relax from their previously tense state.

Quinn was in the kitchen fixing up a cup of peppermint tea for herself when she heard the buzz in the apartment letting her know May was downstairs seeking entrance from outside the building. Walking over to the door she opened it and then picked up the answer phone, "Doors open come on up," she said as she released the buzzer to open the main door downstairs. Within seconds the nurse was stumbling through the door, a big medical bag under her arm and a long silver stand, obviously for holding IV bags. Quinn walked up to her and freed May's hands of some of the things she was carrying and gave her a quick one armed hug, thanking her for coming over so quickly.

Making their way into the bedroom, Quinn entered first and placed the things in her hands down on the antique trunk at the foot of the bed before climbing in behind Rachel and gently nudging her to consciousness. "Well hello there Barbra Jr," May smiled as she removed her jacket and opened the small supplies bag Quinn had carried in and removed the things she would need to start an IV line for Rachel. Quinn helped her wife sit up enough for her to slip her upper body in behind the diva so that she was resting back against Quinn's chest. The girl was drained of all her energy and was struggling to keep her eyes open but she needed to stay awake until May had the line set up.

Lifting Rachel's arm, and gently gripping her hand she tapped it a couple of times to find a vein, squeezing the diva's wrist a couple of times for good measure, once she had found one, she gestured for Quinn to keep a hold of the diva's wrist to keep the vein visible as May dabbed a cotton ball dipped in antiseptic over the back of Rachel's hand then discarded of it. She picked up the IV needle which was a long needle with a long plastic part that would sit on top of Rachel's hand and attach to the line. It had a cap which could be closed whenever Rachel was not connected to the drip. May gripped Rachel's hand again with her left and held the needle in her right as she prepared to insert it.

The nurse smiled when she looked up to find Quinn whispering reassuring words in the diva's ear and when she saw those brown eyes glance up towards Quinn, she used it as her opportunity to insert the needle. Rachel hissed at the initial discomfort but settled back against Quinn once she adjusted to it. May picked up a cotton ball that had surgical tape over it and put it right on top of the place where the needle went in and taped it down. She then picked up another piece of tape and placed it over the plastic piece to hold it in place. Picking up a package she opened it and removed a clear sterile film, like a plaster and stuck it over the back of Rachel's hand to make sure everything stayed in place.

Quinn gently stroked Rachel's wrist to distract her from the stinging sensation in her hand as May got to work on setting up the IV monitor. Moving the pole closer to the bed she attached the machine to its usual sitting place and plugged it before turning it on. While the monitor came to life, the nurse removed two IV bags and placed them on the hooks before hooking hem both up to a double line, hooking them up to the machine so that the dosage could be adjusted and connected the end of it to Rachel's hand. Turning to the monitor, May typed in the dosage and once she was done, checked the line to make sure the fluids were going in. Once she was satisfied she began to pack everything up.

"Okay it's all set up. Those two bags should get her through to the morning," May said as Quinn gently eased herself out from behind her wife and lay her down comfortably in the bed, resting the diva's hand across the top of the comforter to prevent any tugging on the line. "Thank you so much for this May. This means a lot to both of us, Rach really didn't want to spend the holidays in the hospital," Quinn explained as she helped the nurse pack everything away. The older woman smiled at her assuring her that it was perfectly fine and she was glad she could help. Noticing that Rachel was almost completely sound asleep, they made their way back into the living area where Santana had patiently been waiting. Okay, maybe not patiently, her gel nails had officially been chewed to bits.

May walked up the kitchen island and placed the medical bag on top of it and opened it up. Quinn and Santana watched on as the nurse removed a couple of extra bags of IV fluids and some extra supplies the Rachel usually received at the centre. "I've set the monitor to a moderate dosage so it shouldn't need to be adjusted over the next couple of days, if does, just give me a call and I'll walk you through it," she explained before pointing to the IV bags, "keep these in a safe place and if you need any more just call the centre and they'll send someone out. Rachel's doctor has already signed the documentation to allow it."

"Again thank you so much for this May. We really appreciate it," Quinn replied giving the woman a hug. May smiled at the two girls before grabbing the bags and heading out the door. They both sat down in the couch and sighed in relief, Arthur watching them curiously. "How do you do it Q?" Santana asked through the silence that had fallen over the room. Quinn turned her head to look at her friend who was staring into space. "Do what?" she asked. Santana looked up at her and then pointed to the bedroom. "That. Take care of Rachel and deal with all the stress. I mean I spent a couple of hours with her and I freaked out thinking the worst was gonna happen, but you," the Latina trailed off shaking her head, "everything is second nature. You know what she wants, what she needs, how to make her feel better and not once have I seen you struggle."

Quinn snorted at that last statement, "Believe me there have been days when I've wanted to just lock myself in a room and break down and cry. I mean you've seen Rachel, you've seen what this is doing to her. There have been times when all I could do to help her was to hold her while she fought through it. And it killed me being on the side lines like that," Quinn said as tears began to build up in her hazel eyes. "But then they are days like today, when I know there's something I can do to help her it makes me feel useful, like I'm doing something to help her through this." Santana reached out and placed her hand on top of Quinn's in a show of support, gently urging her to continue because she knew her friend had been bottling this up since they all left Lima.

"I do it because Rachel is _the _love of my life. If anything were to happen to her, I wouldn't survive it. She is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with and nothing and no one else will ever complete me the way she does," Quinn wiped a stray tear that had fallen squeezing Santana's hand for the courage to continue and when she felt the tan hand in hers squeeze back just as tight, she spoke. "I've heard stories of people who have lost their husbands or their wives and how they moved on and found love after their deaths and it's funny because it always makes me shake my head, because I know if anything where to happen to Rach, that no one would be good enough to take her place because nobody makes me want to love and want to be loved like she does. That's why I do this, that's why I fight so hard for her every day. Because I know she's fighting just as hard to beat this thing _for me _as well as herself."

When the tears continued to fall, Santana leaned forward and pulled Quinn into a hug, running her fingers through the soft blonde hair and whispering reassuring words of comfort. "If I promise to stop freaking out so much, do you promise to stop crying? Cause all this sappy shit is running my bad ass image," Santana stated so seriously that Quinn couldn't help but burst out laughing. Breaking the hug, Quinn looked down when she felt two small paws press against her leg. Glancing down, she saw Arthur looking up at her. He softly began to rub his paw against her thigh before releasing a low whine, clearly wanting in on the comforting.

"Aww, it's okay boy, I'm okay," Quinn sighed as she leaned forward cupping Arthurs adorable face in her hands and planting a kiss on the top of his head and he responded in kind by licking his owners face. Straightening up, Quinn glanced towards the kitchen counter then back at her friend. "Come on, let's warm up the take out and watch trashy t.v," she said standing up and offering her hand to Santana who smiled and grabbed a hold of it. "Hells yeah. I gots to catch up with my Jersey Shore," she said as she passed the blonde and bounded into the kitchen, Quinn chuckling at her from behind, _some things never change, _she thought to herself and beckoned for Arthur to follow.

Later that night, after Santana had exhausted every channel she could surf through, Quinn decided it was time to call it a night. Grabbing their used plates and glasses the girls walked into the kitchen and placed them in the sink. "You go, make sure the wifey's okay, I got this," Santana said as she got to work cleaning up the mess from earlier. "You sure?" Quinn asked, receiving a nod of confirmation from the Latina, the blonde bid her goodnight and headed for the bedroom. Before she made it to the hallway she remembered the Menorah sitting in the corner of the living room and quickly ran over to extinguish all the lit candles.

Religion had never been an issue for Quinn and Rachel, they always chose to follow their own religious beliefs whilst respecting and acknowledging their similarities and differences. Quinn was raised Catholic, and while Rachel was raised in a home that acknowledged and celebrated both her father's religions, their home was predominantly a Jewish household. When they married they had decided on a spiritual blessing rather than a religious one and decided that any future children they would have, would be educated in both religions and could choose their own faith. Because of their beliefs the girls had decided on having a mixed Christmas, with Quinn participating in Jewish traditions and Rachel participating Catholic traditions.

They were almost finished with Hanukah and so Rachel's fathers were arriving with the Christmas tree tomorrow to complete their decoration process, although Quinn wasn't aware of this piece of information. Rachel had been adamant that they have a real tree, but that it could not be in the apartment for too long before Christmas because she didn't want it to begin withering until the festivities were over. The diva was aware of the fact that Christmas in the Fabray household was a very emotionally cold affair. They never did anything as a family, other than obligatory dinners with Russell's work colleagues. The first sense of a proper Christmas Quinn had ever had was last year with the Berry's, although they had been busy with Glee club and such so they never actually got to get involved in the decorating, but this year, Rachel was determined to give Quinn, the family experience, with Santana being the bonus addition.

When Quinn was finished putting out the candles, she waved at the Latina and made her way to the bedroom, Arthur following close behind. Upon entering the room, the dog leaped into his cushioned doggy basket and curled up, facing towards the bed. Quinn made her way into the en suite and quickly washed her face of her make-up and brushed her teeth. Crossing the room, she opened the walk in wardrobe and pulled out a flannel pyjama bottoms her grey Yale t-shirt, discarding of her day clothes and changing quickly. It was a little chilly in the room and Quinn was glad Santana bumped up the heating after they said goodnight.

Retrieving a pair of warm thick cotton socks, the blonde quickly pulled them on and then picked up her discarded clothes and put them in the hamper. Walking over to the IV next to Rachel's side of the bed, she checked it over to make sure everything was as it should be, or as May said it should be, and once she was reassured that all was well, she made her around to her side of the bed, lifted the duvet and climbed in, instantly turning onto her side and snuggling up close to Rachel, her front pressed into Rachel's side. Feeling the presence of her wife next to her, Rachel reached her right hand out and grabbed a hold of Quinn's, draping the blondes arm across her middle hand holding it tight, her left hand coming to rest on top of it, the IV line snaking down her arm.

When the diva turned her head towards her wife, Quinn tilted her head up to rest their foreheads together and then placed a soft languid kiss on her Rachel's lips before they both succumbed to sleep. As Santana was walking passed the room she caught a glimpse of the pair though the door and couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was like her friends were moulded to fit only for each other. Their bodies just melded together like two perfect pieces of a puzzle that together made a beautiful picture. With one last glance the Latina made her way to her room and eagerly anticipated the joys of decorating with the Berry-Fabrays. Christmas was going to be interesting.

**For those wondering where the Berry men are, don't worry they'll be in the next chapter, as well as an unwelcomed guest. I wonder who? Also there'll be a more lively Rachel next chapter.**

**Thanks again and please review I love hearing the feedback.**


	22. Chapter 19

**Again overwhelmed by the reviews, thank you so much. Especially to SalGersGirl. So I hope you enjoy this chapter and please keep the reviews coming they're really motivating me to write. Thanks again.**

"No, no, no, it's all wrong. Just all wrong," Hiram sighed shaking his head as Santana and Leroy stood opposite each other on step ladders trying to hang up fake snow over the flat screen t.v in the living room. Leroy shook his head and dropped his chin to his chest, inhaling a deep intake of breath as he prayed for the patience to make it through the rest of the day. "Of course it's all wrong Hiram. For starters, if we hang it over the t.v it'll partially obscure the view of the screen and secondly, why do people even put fake snow up inside, it's not like snow falls indoors!" he exclaimed as he gestured for Santana to get down.

"You know we wouldn't have this problem if we had gone along with my idea to hire Nate Berkus," Hiram responded crossing his arms over his chest and pushing his glasses up his nose. Just as Leroy was about to retaliate Rachel walked into the room carrying a small box of lights and decorations under one arm while pulling the IV line and monitor behind her, interrupting her father with her own response. "Daddy, hiring Nate Berkus would pointless. 1. Because he's an interior designer, not a festive decorator for hire, and 2. Because your rather obvious and disturbing crush on him would compel you to hinder his work schedule by shamelessly flirting and agitating Dad." Hiram huffed at his daughters accusations as Leroy smirked beaming at Rachel's ability to leave her father speechless.

"Besides, we agreed that we would decorate ourselves. I want this to be special for Quinn, this is the first Christmas she'll have as part of a family that actually cares about the holidays and the traditions. She deserves a little Christmas magic more than anyone," Rachel whispered the last part and earned a smile from badass Santana at how sweet she was being. Gazing over at the bare Christmas tree in the corner of the room by the balcony window Rachel smiled and then dumped the box she was holding on the couch, startling Arthur who jumped back in fright. "We're doing this for Quinn, which means," she trailed off turning to face Hiram, "we're doing it ourselves, as a family. NO Nate Berkus!"

Just as Rachel had finished her speech the apartment door opened and in stepped a snow covered Quinn, shaking off the excess snow before on her coat before removing it and hanging it up on the coat stand and then kicking off her comfy military style boots and placing under the key stand. Turning around the blonde was quiet for a moment as she gazed around at the boxes of decorations and caught the scent of fresh pine for the first time since she walked through the door. "What's going on?" she asked as she slowly eased her way across the room towards the others.

Rachel smiled at the confused look on her wife's face and made her way over to where Quinn had rooted herself, the sound of the wheels of the IV stand rolling across the floor filling the silence. Once Rachel was close to Quinn, she reached out her arms and wrapped them around the blonde's neck, carefully adjusting the tube in her hand so that it didn't get tangled. "Well, now that you've finally graced us with your presence, we're gonna put up the Christmas decorations," Rachel trailed off gazing up into Quinn's hazel eyes, her voice softening, "as a family."

"What?" Quinn asked, a hint of a smile teasing her lips as she wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist and pulled her closer. Rachel smiled and tightened her grip around the blonde's neck, aware of the three other sets of eyes glancing in their direction. "You always told me that Christmas with your parents were more like business obligations than family holidays and that they felt cold and empty. I know you spent the holidays with me and my dad's last year but this year I want us to begin our own family traditions. Traditions we can celebrate every year together, and when we have our own family. Starting with decorating the tree and ending with us cuddled on the couch sipping hot chocolate and eating home baked cookies," Rachel said as Quinn ducked her head.

To say that Quinn was overwhelmed would be an understatement, there was a warmth bubbling in her chest that she'd never experienced at Christmas, at least not since she was a child and too naïve to see how cold the holidays in the Fabray household were. But in that moment, holding her wife in her arms, with her fathers in law and her best friend gazing at her with genuine happy smiles on their faces, she knew exactly what that warmth was, it was the magic of Christmas, the one that brought loved ones together, and Quinn couldn't help the smile that escaped her lips as she glanced back up at the love in her arms, with tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall, because in this moment, she felt truly at peace with the festive spirit of the holidays .

"You are amazing," Quinn sighed as she leaned down and captured Rachel's lips in a light kiss, painfully aware of the onlookers in the room. "Thank you for this. It means more to me than you'll ever know." Rachel smiled before resting her head in the crook of Quinn's neck. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I know. I love you," the diva whispered against the porcelain skin as she peppered it with kisses. "I love you too," Quinn replied as she brought her hands up to rest on her wife's upper arms and sought out those lips for one more kiss.

"Ahem," Santana fake coughed when the once innocent kiss between the two lovers began to get a little more heated. "Alright, alright enough already. We get it you love each other, now can you cut it out. Your cutesiness is makin my stomach do flips it hasn't done such Coach Sylvester made us run 5k's after Puck's Homecoming party," the Latina whined as she made a show to rub circles around her stomach, Leroy and Hiram watching on in horror at the thought. Quinn and Rachel chuckled as they finally parted their lips and glanced over at their makeshift family.

"Okay, let's get to it," Rachel chirped as she made to move for one of the boxes of decoration until a hand on her wrist stopped her from moving. "Uh, excuse me but you are supposed to be resting," Quinn said as she tapped the pole Rachel was hauling behind her. With a roll of her eyes Rachel looked at her wife, "Quinn I am quite capable of dictating orders from the couch while I sort through the decorations and untangle the fairy lights." Quinn was about to protest until a shake of the head and a cut off hand gesture from Hiram stopped her from saying anything further. "Well then, let's get decorating," Quinn said, a wife smile crossing her lips and lighting up her face as she opened up one of the boxes of decorations and got to work.

It was almost the evening time and almost all the decorations had been hung, the tree was almost complete, Rachel had almost succeeded in untangling all the lights, until Arthur decided he needed a new chew toy and they lost a set. But at least Quinn was happy, the chaos just adding to fun she'd missed out on as a child. A thought that made Rachel's heart ache and silently vow to make every Christmas they shared together, just as chaotic in the future. While Leroy and Hiram baked cookies in the kitchen, Santana, Quinn and Rachel got to work on tidying up the empty boxes and dumping unnecessary packaging. When they were finished Quinn looked up at the tree and smiled as she admired her own handy work. A hand came to rest on the small of her back and she beamed at the sight of Rachel standing by her side.

"Wanna do the honours of putting the star on the top of the tree?" Rachel asked as she stared up at Quinn, who's smile grew bigger if that was even possible. "Aw, babe, if I put you on top of the tree who will I cuddle with tonight?" the blonde joked as the diva playfully pinched her side earning herself a chuckle. "I mean this star," Rachel said as she raised her hand to show Quinn the shining gold star she was holding. Quinn reached up and wrapped her hand around Rachel's that was holding the decoration and momentarily basked in the feeling of their fingers touching, before grabbing a hold of the star and moving towards the tree, carefully reaching up and placing it on top.

"Perfect," Rachel sighed wistfully as her wife returned to stand next to her and they shared a gentle kiss before turning to admire the tree as Santana came waltzing into the room with all the presents to place them under the tree, including the presents from various glee clubbers that had been arriving by post for the last week. Just as the Latina was about to stand up having placed the last of the presents, Arthur ran up and gabbed a hold of one of the parcels in his mouth. Before he could run away Santana grabbed a hold of him and gripped her hand around the present. "Arthur, NO ME GUSTA!"

Quinn and Rachel were broken from their amusement over the situation at the sound of beeping coming from the monitor of Rachel's IV. "Your fluids are done babe. Do you want to come off the IV for a while or do need another course?" Quinn asked as she unhooked the empty bags and disconnected them from the line. Rachel thought about it for a second before coming to a decision. "Um, I'm still feeling a little so-so from this morning, maybe I'll go for one more line. Just to be safe." Quinn nodded her head, silently thankful that Rachel was being extra careful. "Okay, let's go and hook you up to a new bag. If we're lucky, the cookies will be done by the time we're finished," Quinn replied with a hopeful glance over to her fathers in law. Hiram snorted and continued to ice the cookies while Leroy wiped his hands in a towel and made his way over to the girls. "How about I help Rachel with her IV and you and Santana load up a movie on Netflix. Preferably a Christmas movie," Leroy said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around his daughter.

They all quickly agreed and Leroy made his way to the bedroom with Rachel start up a new bag of fluids while Quinn and the Santana plopped themselves on the couch, instantly igniting a war over the remote. "Santana we are not watching _Black Christmas,"_ Quinn stated as she flipped through the movie guide they got in the mail last week. "Why not, it's got hot girls, Oliver Hudson for the GayBerrys and its set during Christmas," the Latina argued as she qued the movie for later. Quinn looked at her friend in disbelief, "They all get butchered!" the blonde shouted earning a snort from the brunette. "Well it's either that or we sit through a Christmas carolling movie, and we all know how much the Berry's loves to gets their carolling on."

Quinn glared at her friend through slanted eyelids, before conceding defeat. "Fine, but if Rachel starts having night terrors tonight, she's sleeping with you." Santana turned to face Quinn with a wicked grin on her face, "Finally sending her to the expert Q. I knew it was only a matter of time before you let her take me up on my offer." Before Santana realised what was going on she was eating a face full of couch cushion. "Not funny Satan!" Quinn shouted over the Latina's heart laughter. Before they could get really into their mock fight a knock at the door caught everyone's attention.

"I'll get," Quinn said jumping up from the couch and heading across the room. Opening the door, the blonde's smile was wiped away when she came face to face with the one person she never expected to see, ever. "Mom," the word just about fell from Quinn's mouth as she stared back at the woman, unable to process what was going on until she registered Santana and Hiram standing behind her watching what was going on. "What the hell are you doing here?" Santana hissed attempting to make her way to the door only to be stopped by Hiram who placed his arm in front of her. "It's good to see you Quinnie," Judy said with a nervous smile.

"Why are you here?" Quinn asked in a low menacing tone when she finally gathered the composure to speak, refusing to move from the doorway. "Quinn that's no way to speak to your mother. Are you going to invite me in?" Judy asked in her annoying Stepford wife way of speaking, all high pitched and too enthusiastic to be genuine. Santana and Quinn scoffed at the same time, the Latina earning a glare from Hiram to behave and stay out of it. "Why should I invite you into my home? The home I share with Rachel. You remember her don't you? Petite brunette with the amazing voice or as I like to call her _my wife,"_ Quinn's tone was biting, this was not going to be a nice conversation.

At the word wife, Judy faultered. Sure she knew Quinn intended to marry Rachel but she never thought she would actually go through with it. "Quinn you can't seriously be telling me you married that girl?" Judy shrieked, appalled at the very idea. Quinn couldn't contain her rage at her mother's referral to her wife as _that girl_. "You mean that girl I told you was my girlfriend, that girl I told you I was in love with, that girl I told you I was going to marry, that girl you told me was_ just a phase _and Dad told me I should get over it before I shamed the family while you stood by and let him? Yeah mom, I married _THAT GIRL!" _Quinn shouted in a thunderous voice that could probably be heard from every floor above and below her own apartment.

"Quinn you can't carry on living like this it's disrespectful to your father and I and you're disgracing the family….," before Judy could finish a loud voice carried though the apartment cutting her off. "DON'T YOU DARE!" Rachel screamed as she stood near the living room, her knuckled turning white from the grip she had on the pole as she pulled it behind her. "If anyone is a disgrace to the Fabray name it's you and that man you deem fit to call a husband. I find it completely disgusting that a drunk and man who deems it appropriate to sleep with whomever he wants have the audacity to proclaim their daughters life as sinful when she has done nothing but show love and compassion and generosity every day since she stopped living under your thumb."

Judy's mouth bobbed up and down as she tried to find the words to respond but she was struck dumb both by the sight of the sickly girl in front of her and by what she was hearing. So she just stood there rooted to the spot as Rachel moved to stand next to Quinn. "You may not agree with the way _my wife _chooses to live her life but you will respect it. And if you can't then you can just leave and don't bother coming back because I will not stand around and watch you tear her down because your too sad…a-and weak t-t-too… walk away from your own…your own marriage," Rachel stuttered as she began rubbing at her brown. Quinn stood closer to her wife and put her arm around her waist holding her close.

"Rach, are you okay?" She asked her words laced with worry. Rachel shook her head and then instantly regretted it. "N-no. My head it's, it's spinning….," before anyone could say anything the tiny diva's knees buckled underneath her and she fell into Quinn's arms and the blonde gently lowered both of them to the ground. Judy stood in shock and tried to reach out to help but was side tracked by an angry and worried Quinn snapping at her. "LEAVE JUDY! Leave and don't come back." Judy tried to reach out again but was stopped by a fiery Latina gripping her by the wrist and pushing her away. "Leave before I go all Lima Heights and ends you," she threatened blocking the older woman's view as Quinn and the Berry men helped Rachel to the bedroom.

Sighing in defeat and choking back the need to cry, Judy curtly nodded her head and walked away, the door being slammed behind her as she left. In the girl's bedroom, Hiram and Leroy kissed Rachel goodnight before retreating from the room, deciding they would head back to the hotel for an early night. Quinn thanked them for all the work they did and once they were out of the room, she shut the door and released a breath she didn't realise she had been holding in since setting eyes on Judy. Turning around the blonde was met with the chocolate brown gaze of her wife staring back at her, tired but unwavering in the love they showed.

Crossing the room, Quinn perched herself down on the edge of the bed, facing her wife. Reaching up a hand she cupped Rachel's face in the palm of her hand and ran her thumb across the pale cheek. "Thank you, for the things you said to my…to Judy. Just, thank you," Quinn sighed. Rachel reached forward and pulled her wife into her arms and held her tight, choking down her own emotions as she felt the hot trickle of her wife's tears on her skin as she cradled the blondes head in the crook of her neck. "You don't ever have to thank me for defending you to anyone. You're my wife. I love you Quinn and I will not have anyone speak to you like that. Ever!" Rachel proclaimed as she held Quinn tighter.

Pulling back her head just enough so she was facing her wife, Quinn gazed at Rachel with red watery eyes, the sight cause Rachel's own hold on her tears to break as she cried with her wife. With their arms wrapped tightly around each other, Quinn dived in for a heated kiss which Rachel was all too glad to reciprocate. Swiping her tongue along the diva's bottom lip, Quinn begged for entrance and once Rachel gave it to her their tongues battled for dominance, giving it everything they had. Quinn placed her hands either side of her wife's neck and massaged the skin there with her thumbs before breaking the kiss as the need for air became too much.

"I need you Rach," Quinn hushed in a breathless whisper against the divas swollen lips. Rachel raised her hands and tangled them in blonde hair and gazed longingly into hazel eyes. "You have me Quinn. Always," Rachel whispered as their lips once again connected and Quinn climbed gently on top of Rachel, using one hand she removed the excess pillows from the bed and tossed them aside before cupping the back of her wife's head and lowering her gently so she was flat on her back. Placing a hand either side of Rachel's head, Quinn stared down at her ran her hand along the diva's jawline before giving her a languid kiss, "I love Rach."

**Ooooh…naughty Judy! So how was it? Did you like? I see some of you thought Finn would be the unwelcome visitor (fortunately for Finn I resolved any issues the girls may have had with him before the wedding so they're all good now )**

**So this chapter was a bit of a doozy so the next chapter is just gonna be some light fluffy Christmas fun so stay tuned.**

**Also I would just like to make a point to tell you loyal readers that once this story is complete, I will temporarily be taking it down to correct all grammar mistakes and wording issues and I will re post it once I'm done and may make it downloadable as well. Not sure yet maybe. Anyways happy reading.**


	23. Chapter 20

**Again thank you all so much for the reviews, they really mean a lot and I love reading them. Here's the new chapter, I hope you enjoy.**

Gazing out the window, Quinn marvelled in the sight of the snow falling outside, covering the town of New Haven in a magical white sheet. It was 8:30 in the morning and she knew that it would be mere hours before the streets would be filled with children building snow men and engaging in snowball fights. Couples walking hand in hand as they strolled through town and enjoyed the feeling of fresh snow crunching under their winter boot, and in that moment Quinn smiled because she knew that soon, she would be among them.

Gazing down at her slumbering wife, Quinn basked in the feeling of Rachel's upper body draped over hers. Their bare chests pressed together and their legs entwined as they absorbed the warmth they provided each other. Quinn flexed her arms in a bid to hold Rachel impossibly closer to her. The diva's head was resting snug against the blonde's chest and her arms were tucked up under her chin, one palm pressed flat against Quinn's shoulder. The feeling of a hand gently running up and down her bare side grazing against the scar between her ribs roused the diva from sleep and her eyes slowly fluttered open.

Feeling her wife beginning to shift on top of her, Quinn smiled and pressed her lips against Rachel's forehead. "Merry Christmas baby," she whispered as a soft smile crept across Rachel's face. Looking up brown eyes were greeted with the sight of hazel orbs gazing down lovingly at her. "Merry Christmas to you too," the diva sighed as she puckered her lips, seeking for a kiss and being rewarded when Quinn cupped her cheek in the palm of her hand and pressed their lips together. The first kiss in the morning always the sweetest as the kiss became hungrier and memories of the love they had made the night before creeping to the forefront of their minds.

The need for air finally became too great for both girls and with one last quick peck to the lips they pulled apart. Rachel clasped her hands together on Quinn's chest and rested her chin on top of them so she could face her wife. Quinn returned her hand to Rachel's side and continued her earlier hand strokes up and down the soft skin beneath her fingers. "Are you gonna lie there all day?" she asked the diva smiling up at her. Rachel chuckled and Quinn melted under the vibration against her chest. "As long as you don't move, I could lie here all day," the petite girl replied playfully, a sultry smirk gracing her features

Leaning up, Rachel connected their lips in a heated kiss, clearly seeking out more than just a good morning peck. Quinn's hands began to make their way towards the diva's behind and just as her palms came in contact with their desired destination a banging on the bedroom door stopped their ministrations. "Yo, it's Christmas morning and I made breakfast so quit with the sweet lady kisses and drag your butt naked asses out of bed. I wants to gets my eats on," Santana hollered through the closed door.

Quinn released a frustrated groan as she dropped her head back against the headboard. "How does she know we're naked?" Rachel asked, worried that at some time during the night the Latina had snapped inappropriate pictures to use for future blackmail. "Sweetie, it's Santana, the girl can smell sex anywhere within a five mile radius of where she's standing. Plus, you have some pretty talented vocal chords," Quinn smirked as she pressed a kiss to her wife's exposed neck. "Yeah well I happened to marry someone who's pretty talented with their tongue. You might know her actually, she this pretty blonde girl with these amazing hazel eyes that make me just want to melt every time she looks at me," Rachel said with a dramatic awestruck flare.

"She sounds hot, maybe I should hook up with her sometime," Quinn smirked as she flipped their positions so she was on top and began to kiss a trail down Rachel's naked torso. "Ummm… nope….she's mine," Rachel struggled out through ragged breaths. _Bang._ "I thought I told you two that I wants to gets my eats on. I ain't playin around, you got five minutes or Imma go all Lima Heights up in here. Consider this your last warning," Santana shouted before walking back to the kitchen. Both Rachel and Quinn laughed before the blonde pecked her wife on the lips. "Come on, lets jump in the shower and get dressed Medusa decides to kick the door down."

Climbing out of the bed Quinn walked over to the drawer where she kept Rachel's medical supplies and removed two plastic covers and medical. Once the diva had managed to crawl out of the bed, they both made their way into the bathroom in their birthday suits and Rachel turned on the shower. Once Quinn had positioned the tubes attached to the catheter, she cover it with the plastic film and taped it up before repeating the action with the IV in her wife's hand. Pushing the left over supplies to the side of the sink, the blonde grabbed Rachel's hand and they both climbed into the shower.

Rachel poured a generous amount of shampoo in her hand and began to lather up Quinn's hair, gently massaging it into her scalp to make sure she got right down to the roots. Quinn moaned at how relaxing the motion was and switched positions with her wife to rinse out her hair. Rachel picked up the lavender scented shower gel and began to scrub her body, working her way up her legs, right up to under her arms and up around her bald head, silently praying for the day she would have her long brown hair back to run her fingers through.

Seeing the hint of anguish in appear on Rachel's face, Quinn knew exactly what it was that was causing. Cupping the back of Rachel's head in the palm of her hand, the blonde pulled the diva close to her and dropped a long lingering kiss on top of her wife's bare head in a gesture that told Rachel everything she needed to hear without saying a word. That Quinn thought she was beautiful regardless of what Rachel, herself, deemed as her physical flaws. "Come on gorgeous, let's go eat I'm starving," Quinn said with a smile on her lips. Rachel allowed a smile to cross her lips and they climbed out of the shower and headed for the bedroom, dressing in record time to avoid having to deal with the wrath of Santana.

As the afternoon rolled in and the gifts had been exchanged and opened, Quinn, Rachel, Santana and the Berry men found themselves all stuffed to the gills after indulging in one of the best Christmas feast anyone could ever have Santana declared. While Hiram and Leroy cleaned up the dishes, the girls spent some down time on the couch rifling through their gifts and not one of them could resist throwing on the onesies they had each received from Brittany. Quinn received a onesie that was royal blue with a little book pattern all over it, Rachel's was pink with a little gold star pattern and Santana's was a fiery red with a pattern of little horny devils. Yep, as dense as the girl could be, there was one thing the ditzy blonde was really good at, and that was reading people and knowing them inside out.

Quinn couldn't help but beam at the complete collection of first edition, hard cover Jane Austin novels Rachel had somehow managed to get her hands on. They were in mint condition but somehow they still had that musky old book smell Quinn adored. There was also the musical jewellery box that caused the blonde to choke up when she opened it. Quinn once told Rachel that when she was younger, her grandmother had given her a little wooden musical jewellery box that played the tune of _In A World Of My Own_ from Alice in Wonderland, Quinn's favourite movie and book when she was a kid. However in one of Russell's drunken fits of rage, he had smashed the box leaving it in such a state, it was unfixable.

The blonde had believed that the box was irreplaceable, that another one couldn't be found, but Rachel proved her wrong and she was left feeling overwhelmed at how well the diva knew her, and how much she cared to go out of her way to finding something so valuable to Quinn, something that held wonderful memories of her grandmother. Every gift was meaningful and thought out and reflected who Quinn was as a person and the blonde was more than kind in her gifts to Rachel. When the diva laid eyes on the authentic signed copy of the original Funny Girl Playbill she almost bounced through the ceiling in excitement.

Rachel was beyond overjoyed and when Quinn handed her the original cast recording of the Funny Girl soundtrack from the Broadway play, Rachel knew that nobody would ever know her the way her wife did. Just like Rachel, even the small gifts that Quinn had given her had been thought out and meaningful. The same could be said for some of the gifts Santana had received, although some of the gifts Brittany had given her would have probably been best left until she was in the privacy of her bedroom to open if the reactions of the Berry men were anything to go by. "Quinn, not that your sex life with my daughter is any of my business, but for future reference, if the topic of sex toys comes up please feel free to lie your ass off for the benefit of my health," Hiram had said at the time, causing Quinn to turn a shade of crimson she had never turned before.

Glancing out the window, Rachel beamed at the sight of the snow falling on the streets outside and couldn't help but bounce a little in her seat. "What do you say we go for a stroll through the park? You know, bask in the spirit of Christmas," Rachel queried as she tossed a hopeful glance at the other people sitting around the living room. Hiram and Leroy nodded at the suggestion and seeing the doctor in the family show his agreement eased Quinn's anxiety over Rachel being outside in the cold. "Okay, let's do it," Quinn said as she stood up and offered a hand to Rachel as they made their way to the bedroom to change into warm outdoor clothes.

"You guys go ahead, I'mma hang back here and Skype with Britt," Santana said as she cleared away some scattered wrapping paper. After fifteen minutes of debating whether or not her wife was wearing the appropriate clothing for the harsh cold outside, the girls were finally ready to go. While Quinn retrieved their coats and scarves from the coat rack, Rachel got to work on dressing Arthur up in his new winter hoody for dogs and then strapped him into his new body restraint and attached the leash. Although Rachel thought he looked cute, Santana couldn't help but release a snort of laughter at the' _you can't be serious?'_ expression on the little Frenchie's face.

Quinn held out Rachel's coat and stood patiently as the diva slipped her arms inside and fixed the collar before folding and wrapping the scarf around her neck. Hiram and Leroy walked out from behind the kitchen island in their coats and once everyone was ready they set off, leaving the Latina alone to chat up a storm with her girlfriend on Skype. At least that's all Quinn hoped she did, the blonde didn't want to have to burn the couch after she and Rachel went to the effort of breaking it in, although it would probably be best of none of their guests ever knew that piece of information unless they wanted to become well acquainted with sitting on the floor.

As they set off on their walk, the Berry men took on the responsibility of walking Arthur while the girls strolled at their own pace, Quinn with her arm wrapped securely around Rachel's shoulders while Rachel rested her head against her wife and wrapped her arm around the blonde's waist. Quinn sighed in contentment, this is what Christmas was supposed to be about. Spending quality time with the people you love and just enjoying one another's company. This is what Quinn had missed growing up, she didn't care about the extravagant gifts or the lavish parties, she just wanted a normal Christmas and she was finally getting what she had wished for. All thanks to a small diva who claimed her as her own in Junior Year and strengthened that claim with every passing day.

Quinn wasn't sure if there was a heaven, but if there was, then Rachel was hers. Right in that moment, as the strolled through the snow covered park, tangled together in a loving embrace, she figured maybe there was a God, and if he was responsible for giving her Rachel, then she was forever in his debt. Rachel shifted her head from its position against the blonde's shoulder and leaned up to place a chaste kiss on the underside of Quinn's jaw. "Babe, about yesterday, you know with Judy showing up, are you okay? I mean really okay? We didn't really talk about it after the whole incident?" Rachel asked wearily. She knew this was probably going to be a touchy subject, but she had to know that Quinn was truly okay and not just putting on a show for her sake.

The blonde inhaled a sharp breath as flashbacks of the confrontation crossed her mind. Judy's appearance had unsettled her to say the least. To say she was hurt by Judy's words was an understatement, but in some ways it was also a relied. Ever since she had cut ties with her parents she had been left wondering if her parents would ever change their opinions and maybe one day except her for who she is, yesterday's encounter had answered that question for. "Honestly, I can't say that it didn't hurt, because it did, a lot. But in some weird way, I feel, relieved. I feel like I finally have closure. I now know that my parents will never change their opinions and there really is nothing I can do to change that."

"Don't get me wrong, I would love it if they would accept me for who I am, and for them to embrace you as my wife, but I've kind of settled myself in the knowledge that some people's beliefs can't be changed. But having you in my life, it's made me realise that I don't need them. I have a family of my own and one day, that family will grow and I will love those kids unconditionally, regardless of their sexuality or their beliefs. I'm not going to become my parents. I'm gonna raise our kids right, and I have the perfect partner to help me to just that," Quinn beamed as she leaned down and captured Rachel's lips in a soft but loving kiss. Rachel smiled in understanding at what Quinn had said and she felt proud of her wife for taking everything that has been thrown at her in her stride and doing it so gracefully.

With one final peck on the lips the girls continued their stroll, oblivious to the beaming smiles adorning the faces of the two proud men walking just ahead of them. "Our little girl found someone really special," Leroy said as he wrapped his arm around Hiram's waist. His husband nodded his head in agreement as he wrapped his arm around the other man's shoulders. "Rachel always did see the best in people, but I think in Quinn, she struck gold. The way she takes care of our baby girl, she's just something else. I genuinely feel like trusting Quinn with Rachel's heart was the best decision we've ever made," Hiram said as she tugged on Arthur's lead, Leroy humming his agreement.

That night after the Berry men had returned to the hotel, the girls were sat around the living room, listening as Santana relayed everything about her conversation with Brittany. From the way the Latina was talking it sounded like she had settled some of her worries about her relationship with Brittany, she seemed to be much more secure about where they were heading, and it seemed that once the blonde graduated, Santana wouldn't be so lonely in that big city anymore. "Oh by the way, I have some news from Hummel and Eyebrows McGee," Santana said as she walked towards the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

Rachel rolled her eyes at Santana's need for nicknames but listened none the less. "So Liza's been missing his mini Barbra, so he and Blaine are coming up here for New Year's. Surprise," Santana said sarcastically. Rachel was absolutely beaming at the news. She'd been missing her fellow diva terribly and this was exactly the kind of thing to boost her spirits. Quinn laughed at Rachel's giddy mood and then wished Santana good night as the Latina made her way to bed. Sitting on the couch Rachel smiled at Quinn after looking out the window and realising the stars were out in full view. Standing up she grabbed a hold of Quinn's hand and pulled her up. "Come on there's something I want to show you. Grab our coats will you I'll be back in a sec."

Quinn eyed her wife curiously and watched as the diva jogged to the bedroom. Grabbing their coats Quinn put hers on and smiled when Rachel returned with a brown manila envelope tucked under her arm. Grabbing her coat, Rachel threw it on and pulled Quinn out to their balcony. Once they were outside Quinn glanced at her wife. "Okay, what are you up to?" she asked as Rachel fiddled with the envelope in her hands. The diva smiled and then stood closer to Quinn and pointed to the night sky. "Do you see where Perseus is?" Rachel asked, knowing that Quinn knew exactly where it was, astronomy was one of her favourite topics.

"Uh yes," Quinn said her brows knitted together. "Good, now do you see those two really bright stars just below it?" again the blonde nodded her head and then Rachel smiled. "They're ours," she said, excitement bursting through her words. Quinn allowed a smile to creep across her face, "What?" she asked, watching as Rachel opened the envelope and removed some paper work, two of which looked like certificates. "I had them named for us, see, it's all official," the diva said as she handed her wife the documents. Quinn traced her fingers over the names on the certificates, "Oh my god," she sighed in a hushed voice.

Rachel gripped Quinn's free hand in her own and smiled at the happiness she saw in the hazel eyes staring back at her. "One day, after we've finished college and we become hugely successful in our careers, it's inevitable that there are going to be times when we're apart from each other," Rachel said in a matter of fact tone. "I just, I want you to be able to look up at the sky at night and see those stars, side by side and know that, no matter the distance between us, that I am always right by your side, forever," Rachel whispered as she gazed up into Quinn's teary eyes.

Gripping her wife's hand tighter, Quinn pulled Rachel into her and crashed their lips together, careful not to crush the documents in her hand. Pulling apart she rested her forehead against Rachel's and pecked her on the nose. "I love you," Quinn sighed once again before pulling Rachel back into her arms and holding her as close to her as possible. This truly was the best Christmas, and the blonde was already excited for next year.

**And there you have, a fluffy little Christmas with the Fabrays. I hope you all enjoyed it and please, review, I'd love to hear what you have to say.**

**Next up we jump ahead a couple of months and Quinn and Rachel receive some BIG news. Stay tuned.**


	24. Chapter 21

**Okay here it is the next chapter. Thank you again for all the reviews it really means a lot and I hope you enjoy this update.**

_Spring Break – Malibu & Los Angeles, California._

New Year's for Quinn, Rachel and their friends had been perfect. Santana had stayed in New Haven to celebrate with the girls and as planned, Kurt and Blaine had made the trip up and stayed long enough to be acquainted with Ben and Nicole who had returned to town early to catch up with their friends. The whole group spent time getting to know each other and bonding, so much so, that by the end of the holidays, Ben had invited the girls Lima friends and Brittany to tag along on their Spring Break vacation to California.

And that's how they all found themselves relaxing in Ben's dads Malibu Beach house. The blonde boy's father was a former pro surfer who liked to keep a humble, but spacious abode right next to the beach, and some waves, so the surfing tradition could stay in the family. Although Ben grew up predominantly in the Los Angeles area, he spent many long weekends and breaks from school in his second home surfing it up with his friends from school. The second they landed in LAX, Rachel had whipped out her cell phone and was straight on to her Jewbro and diva. If she was going to Cali for a week, she intended to catch up with her dear friends.

Having arrived at the beach house from the hour long drive everyone decided to get settled in before diving headlong into fun activities. Ben gave everyone a tour and showed them to their designated rooms, Rachel and Quinn, being given special consideration because of Rachel's medical needs, were given the room with the en-suite. Kurt and Blaine were in the room next door, Nicole was next to Ben, while Santana Brittany were given the room at the end of the hall, because, well, they were loud and nobody needed to hear that while trying to sleep.

Having unpacked and settled into their rooms, the gang reconvened in the kitchen for lunch before deciding to head for the beach to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the Californian sun. Quinn walked into the master bathroom and grabbed a bottle of sun screen from the cabinets Ben had told her about and then retreated to the bedroom to find her wife. "Rach, you ready?" she asked as she walked into the room and found Rachel pulling on a pair of denim daisy dukes over her bikini bottoms. "Almost, just give me two minutes. You go ahead and lay out our towels, I'll follow you out," she said as she looked around for where she left her head scarf.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Quinn asked, walking up to the diva with a lopsided smile on her face and the scarf resting in her hand. Rachel smiled back and went to reach for it, but Quinn just twirled her around. "Let me," she said as she carefully folded the scarf in half to shorten the length and then gently wrapped it around her wife's head and adjusted it a couple of times until it was tight enough to stay on and Rachel was comfortable. "Thanks babe," Rachel said as Quinn placed a kiss on Rachel's bare shoulder. "I'm gonna head out, don't take too long," the blonde said as she bounded out the door, picking up her book off the night stand before she left.

Rachel turned and looked in the mirror, the sight before her made her cringe. There was no way she could lay out on the beach with those wires and tubes hanging from her catheter. Sure they were taped down but they were still an eye sore, it didn't help that she was conscious of her skeletal frame and the scar on her side. Putting it bluntly Rachel was feeling very self-conscious and the thought of lying around on a beach with those typically stunning Californian beach bodies was doing nothing to sate her self-esteem. Turning to the closet, Rachel pulled out a loose fitting flowing cover up blouse that covered her frame and put it on, threw on her straw fedora hat and her pink framed Ray Ban wayfarers and walked out the door to join her friends.

"You know I think it's discrimination that they don't allow ducks on the beach. I mean what's the difference between the sea and a lake or pond?" Brittany asked as she threw bits of bread roll at some birds that were nearby. "I don't think they're made stay away Britts, I think they just prefer cooler climates," Santana said trying to placate her pouting girlfriend. Quinn watched as more and more birds started to make their way towards them from all different directions, even swooping in from overhead. "Uh, Britt, I think you might wanna stop throwing that bread before we end up like a scene right out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie," the blonde said, earning a glare from Santana who would have readily dealt with the birds to keep her girl happy.

Quinn was about to protest when she heard the sound of shuffling from behind and turned to find her wife coming towards them. She smiled until she took in Rachel's attire and then a confused frown flashed across her face. Once the diva was close enough to hear her Quinn spoke up, "Babe, why are you wearing that, it's like a hundred degrees out," she stated pushing her aviators up on top of her head. Rachel took a seat next to her wife and began rummaging through her beach bag to try and avoid the conversation. "I know, I just don't want to get sunburnt," came her reply. Santana shared a look with Quinn that said they both didn't believe what she was saying.

"Hey Britts, let's go catch up to the others, I wanna try skim boarding with Ben and Blaine. Plus it'll be fun to hear Hummel scream like a girl when I get sea water in his over styled hair," the Latina said as she stood up and adjusted her bikini bottoms before reaching out a hand and pulling the bubbly blonde up from her sitting position. When the two were far enough away, Quinn turned to Rachel and placed a hand on the small of the diva's back and began stroking it gently. "C'mon Rach, tell me what's really going on. You were totally excited when we were getting ready earlier what happened?"

Rachel stopped rummaging through her bag and turned to glance at her wife. She couldn't help feeling guilty for putting that concerned look on the blondes face. It was Spring Break, they were supposed to be having fun and if anyone deserved to have fun, it was Quinn. "It's noting. It's just….," she trailed off looking around at all the other bikini clad bodies on the beach before turning back and gazing longingly up and down her wife's body, admiring every inch of skin she could see, before returning her gaze to Quinn's waiting hazel eyes. "I just don't feel comfortable showing off my body. Especially not…here…in such a public place."

Quinn glanced around the beach at all the other people soaking up the sun. She noticed the toned bodies of the girls on the beach, of course she did, she was gay, she wouldn't be human if she didn't look. But that's all Quinn did was look, because the only body she cared about was sitting right next to her. That was the only body she wanted to touch, to admire and to love and worship on all night long and it's time Rachel accepted that once and for all. Huffing out a sigh, Quinn glanced around again and then pointed then pointed to a tall, leggy brunette with perfect abs. "You see her, what do you think of her? 'Cause I think she's hot," Quinn said rather bluntly.

Gesturing in the opposite direction, she pointed out another slightly shorter girl, with tan skin and brown eyes playing beach volleyball. "See her, she's cute too, great legs." Rachel shoved the bag she has holding down on the ground angrily as she listened to _her_ wife tell her how amazing looking those other girls were. It was infuriating and it wasn't making her feel any better. "Okay Quinn I get it those girls are hot," the diva shouted as her voice wavered, tears beginning to form in her eyes. But Quinn wasn't going to sit and mollycoddle her, Rachel was letting her illness define her by her physical appearance, and that wasn't the confident diva that Quinn knew.

Leaning over so that she was eye to eye with her wife, the blonde placed a hand on Rachel's thigh and made sure she was listening before she spoke. "Yeah they are hot, but do you know what they all have common? All the girls I pointed out that I find attractive? They all have features that remind me of you. The girl I fell in love with Junior year," Quinn said with as much sincerity in her voice as she could muster up. "Rach this," the blonde said reaching up to twirl the material of Rachel's head scarf between her fingers, "this is just temporary. It doesn't change how I see you, or how anyone who cares about you sees you. We still see the same confident, enthusiastic, talented shining star who let nothing and no one stop her from being exactly who she was and who she wanted to be in high school. Don't let this change you."

Rachel sat there silently absorbing the words that were floating around in her head. Quinn was right, she was allowing her illness to prevent her feeling comfortable in her own skin and it wasn't doing her any favours. Sure Rachel could lock herself away and hide from the world but what would she be achieving. She spent her entire school career convincing herself that she was a star that was born to shine on a Broadway stage, yet here she was too scared to even lie out on the beach in her swimwear without covering up as much skin as was acceptable in this heat. This was not how Rachel wanted to live, she was a leader and she was supposed to lead by example. But at the same time, she wanted to look desirable, not just for herself, but for Quinn. She wanted to walk down the beach hand in hand with her wife and feel like she had a body that Quinn would be proud to claim in front of other girls. As much as she wanted that, she just couldn't feel it.

Until she noticed Quinn stand up and position herself right in front her, essentially blocking her sun. "Get up," the blonde said, hands on her hips as she gazed down at her wife. Rachel stalled for a moment, slightly caught off guard by the authority in Quinn's voice. Slowly easing herself off the ground, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Take your over clothes off," Quinn said as she watched the uncertainty dance across her wife's face like it belonged there. Rachel balked at the blonde's words. "What?" she asked glancing to her side to see if anyone was watching them. Quinn stepped up to Rachel and cupped the diva's face in the palm of her hands, thumbs softly caressing the skin beneath them.

"Rachel, you are _the_ most beautiful person on this beach. You take my breath away every time I look at you and you are sexy as hell, and don't even try telling me otherwise because I have spent hours making love to every inch of this body and it still has the power to turn me on and make me weak at the knees," Quinn said with a chuckle because it was true. There were days when she found it almost physically impossible to pry herself away from the diva, especially after they had made love. It was true that Rachel could be clingy, but Quinn adored it because she loves having that closeness. It was something she didn't get too much off as a child growing up under her parents thumb.

Rachel glanced down for a moment in a bid to try and recompose herself. She couldn't keep looking into those hazel eyes full of love any longer without breaking down, she just needed a moment to just process things. In the distance she could hear the howling laughter of her friends and she wanted to join them so bad. But she knew if she was going to truly enjoy herself, then she needed to be free of these insecurities that were nagging at her. Otherwise she would just end up hiding away for the rest of the vacation. After one more steadying breath she gazed back up into the supportive eyes of her wife and nodded her head. "Okay."

Quinn smiled and placed a gentle peck on the diva's lips before removing her hands from their position cradling Rachel's face. Stepping back a little, she watched as the diva removed her fedora hat and tossed it onto the sand and then unbuttoned her jean shorts and allowed them to slide down her legs and pool at her feet, kicking them away once they were all the way down. As she reached up and clenched the hem of her blouse she stopped, suddenly not so sure anymore. Quinn seeing the hesitance, steps forward and also latches on to the hem of her wife's blouse. "You can do this," the blonde almost whispered and it seemed to do the trick.

With more nod of her head, Rachel began to pull the blouse up over her head with the help of Quinn and once it was removed, she tossed it aside and in that moment felt somehow freer. Quinn beamed when she stood back and took in the sight of her wife standing on the beach in her bikini, free of all the unnecessary garments she had been hiding under. Rachel glanced around and noticed a couple of people gawking at her and she unconsciously crossing her arms over her chest almost as if to shield herself from onlookers, blanching slightly when she noticed some a woman openly admiring Quinn's body as she passed.

But the blonde didn't pay her any attention, instead ignoring the wandering eyes openly objectifying her in favour of lavishing her admiring gaze on her wife. Stepping into Rachel's personal space, she placed her hands on the diva's hips and gazed up and down. "You look incredibly sexy in that bikini," Quinn smirked as she dropped one hand to grope Rachel's behind, earning a squeal and then a chuckle from the smaller girl. The gesture eased Rachel's tension and she leaned into Quinn, bracing her hands on top of her wife's. "And these," Quinn said as she ran a finger gently around the catheter and then down Rachel's side towards her scar, "these are your battle scars. Something you should be so proud of. Just like Santana said."

Rachel smiled as she remembered the time the Latina had broken into her house to give her a pep talk. Never had the diva been more grateful for Santana's lack of a filter than she had been that day. The brunette was right, Quinn was right, these were her reminders of the strength she has shown over the last year in doing everything she can to beat her illness. It was time she was proud of herself, of what she had been through. If Quinn could be proud of her and her friends and her fathers could be proud of her, then it was time she was proud of herself. Stepping up onto her tip toes, Rachel cupped the back of her wife's neck with her hand and pulled her into a searing kiss, not caring who was watching. Quinn for her part, was not complaining and swiftly wrapped her arms around the diva's waist and gently lifted her off the ground so they were on even ground, or so to speak.

Placing Rachel back down on her feet, Quinn lifted a hand and delicately stroked the diva's cheek, beaming from ear to ear. "Those girls can look at you all they want, but I am going to make it perfectly clear that I will be the only one kissing you," Rachel said as she leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on Quinn's lips, "touching you," she sighed softly as she trailed a hand down the valeey between Quinn's bikini clad breasts, leaving a trail of goose bumps in her path, "and I most definitely will be the only one making you scream tonight," the diva mouthed in a hushed voice right next to Quinn's ear, smiling when her wife physically trembled.

When Rachel pulled back, Quinn was wearing a mega-watt smile as she pulled diva close and kissed her on the neck. "I love you so much, but please can we go for a swim cause I'm a little, uh, I'm a little worked up right now and if I don't cool down, like soonish, I may be forced to something highly inappropriate, and I really don't wanna do that in public," Quinn choked out through ragged breaths. Rachel laughed as smacked the blonde on the arm and disentangled herself from Quinn's hold. Reaching down into her beach bag she pulled out a cover sheet for her catheter and water resistant tape. "Sure but first, cover me up," she said and Quinn happily took the supplies from Rachel's hands and got to work.

Once they were done they made their way down to the water where Nicole and Brittany were floating around on their backs, Ben and Blaine were mock wrestling over the skim board, and Santana was sneaking up on an unsuspecting Kurt with a sand bucket full of water. "Oh that will not end well," Rachel sighed, and just as she said, the Latina dumped the bucket over Kurt's head. "SANTANA! YOU ARE DEAD," Kurt screamed as he took off after the tanned girl who ran towards the house, "Calm the fuck down She Hummel." Everyone turned and watched as the two Gleeks hurtled through the sliding doors of the house and heard nothing but laughing and screaming. "Nothing ever changes does it?" Quinn asked and Rachel shook her head laughing before releasing a small scream when Quinn swept her off her feet and ran for the water. The holidays had officially begun.

That night, the gang all jumped into Ben's black sedan headed to a bar/club that allowed anyone over eighteen, entrance. They stamped everyone under twenty-one for the purpose of keeping themselves out of trouble with the law but they were pretty loose with serving under age once inside the actual venue. The place was known for its live music, local bands and singers would take to the stage and perform at will, so Ben and Nicole were secretly hopeful that Rachel may be persuaded to get up and sing. Once they parked and got stamped at the door they headed inside and quickly found a large booth they could all fit in.

Ben and Blaine, being gentlemen, got everyone's order and went to the bar, returning a couple of minutes later with drinks for everyone. Ben being the designated driver was sipping a soda water while everyone else, with the exception of Santana and Brittany were pretty tame with their choices, sticking to beers and wine coolers. "So Rachel, any chance you'll get up and give us a performance late on?" Nicole asked from across the table, eager for the diva to say yes. All eyes were on the diva as she blushed and glanced down at her fidgeting hands before glancing back up. "I don't know, it's been a while since I've performed on stage in front of a crowd," she muttered and Quinn quickly placed a comforting hand on her thigh giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze.

"What are talking about Berry. You sang at Shuesters wedding and nailed it," Santana responded taking a sip of her martini before removing the pick and biting off an olive. At this Ben became more determined to hear the diva sang. "Come Rach, I wanna see what you got," Ben said shooting her a hopeful glance. "Yeah come on Jew babe, get up there and blow these Jack Johnson wannabes out of the water," Puck hollered earning glares from some of the other patrons but only caring about the beaming smile on Rachel's face. Jumping up from her seat, Rachel rushed into Puck's waiting arms and giggled when he picked her up and spun her around. "I've missed you Noah," Rachel said as she clung to his neck. Puck smiled at the diva's use of his given name, he'd missed hearing it, especially from her. "I've missed you too Rach."

Once they broke their hug, another voice caught Rachel's attention. "Hey now don't give away all the love, I need some diva hugs too." Rachel squealed when Mercedes came into view and quickly pulled her fellow diva into a bone crushing hug. Whilst Rachel and Mercedes got reacquainted, Puck made his way around the other Glee clubbers and Quinn introduced him to Ben and Nicole. Once Rachel had sufficiently hugged Mercedes they joined the rest of the group and after an hour of filling the newbies in on the trials and tribulations of the New Directions choir room everyone fell into the same safe sense of familiarity and it just added so much more fun to their night.

"So what do you say my Jewish princess, wanna sing with me for old times sake?" Puck asked as he stood up and placed his hand out for her to take. Rachel eyed it for a moment and glanced around at everyone who all wore hopeful expressions. Turning to Quinn, Rachel saw her wife giving her an encouraging smile and nod of the head and that was all she needed. "Sure why not," she said, grabbing Puck's hand and allowing him to lead her to the stage. Picking up a guitar they both sat on some stools and waited as the mohawked boy filled in the band on stage on what they were going to sing. As soon as the opening notes began to drift through the air their friends all smiled remembering the duet.

Ben and Nicole sat mesmerised as they listened to Puck and Rachel belt out _Need You Now_, earning the approval of the other people in the venue. Quinn beamed as she watched her wife get lost in the song. This is what Rachel needed, more time on stage doing exactly what she loved. In that moment she made a mental note to check out some similar venues to this in New Haven. Before she realised it, Puck and Rachel were stepping off stage to the sound of rapturous applause and after a couple more drinks, soon all the Gleeks were getting up and taking a turn. "This so isn't fair. How did one Glee club have so many kick ass singers? In Ohio of all places," Nicole whined sarcastically.

It did seem odd at times when they thought about it that so much talent could be found in on club, but rather than question it they just embraced it and utilised it as best they could to win Nationals. "Okay, before we ditch this place, I think it's only fair that we hear a duet from Q and Rach," Ben said as he tipped his soda water towards them. Quinn seemed reluctant. Although she'd performed a handful of solo numbers during her days in Glee club, she'd pretty much put her public singing days behind her after graduation. Now the only time she sang was in the car, in the shower, or in the privacy of her home when Rachel asked her to, but other than that she was pretty much retired.

Just as she was about to decline Ben's request, the feeling of a hand slipping into hers and squeezing brought her attention back to her wife who was staring up at her with big hopeful brown eyes and Quinn could feel her resolve beginning to break. "Okay fine, just give me a couple of minutes, I need to use the little ladies room," she said as she slid out of the booth and walked across the room to the where the toilets were located. Quinn pushed open the door of the women's bathroom, her eyes downcast as she moved to enter, until she heard an all too familiar voice that stopped her in her tracks.

"Well, well, if it isn't Quinn Fabray. Long time no see. Too long actually." Quinn looked up to see non-other than Shannon Peterson. "Ughh," Quinn scoffed, "Not long enough actually," the blonde responded, ignoring the former Cheerio and avoiding her as she made her towards one of the stalls. Shannon gave her smirk, until she noticed the wedding band adorning Quinn's finger and her smirk quickly turned into a seductive smile. "You know, I've forgiven you for that stunt you pulled Senior Year. I get it, Ruby…," Quinn quickly cut her off, "Rachel, her name is Rachel." Shannon rolled her eyes, "Rachel whatever, look I get that she was sick and you felt like you needed to the noble thing and be there for her. But you're a hot girl Quinn, and you deserve to be with anyone you want," Shannon whispered as she moved closer and closer to Quinn until their faces were mere inches apart.

"You're right, I do deserve to be with anyone I want," Quinn said as she gently placed her hand on top of the one that was stroking her hip, Shannon's eyes lighting up as she felt Quinn gently cup her hand, but her joy was short lived as the hold on her hand quickly became much harsher and it was shoved away from its resting position. "I chose Rachel, and I would choose her a thousand times over, than have anything to do with you," Quinn snarled as she stepped away from Shannon, her inner HBIC coming out in force trying to protect her marriage from being threatened.

Shannon tensed under the glare of the hazel eyes staring back at her, so with little else to say, she picked up her handbag, placed her lip gloss inside and headed for the door. "We'll see about that Quinnie," she muttered to herself as she exited the bathroom. Finally alone Quinn braced herself against the sink to calm herself down before realising she had been gone too long and needed to get back to her wife and friends. After taking longer than would be considered usual to return from a trip to the bathroom, Quinn finally emerged much to the relief of Rachel who had spotted Shannon leaving while anticipating the return of her wife.

Once Quinn has slipped back into the booth, Santana nudged her with her elbow to get her attention. "So I see the Queen Bitch has resurfaced. Did she try anything?" she asked, preparing to march up to her former cheer mate all guns blazing to rip her apart. Quinn huffed after taking a sip of her drink. "Oh she tried alright, until she realised I still wasn't interested," she stated, earning a smile from her wife who knew whole heartedly she was telling the truth based on Shannon's pissed off expression. After one more sip of her drink, Quinn gripped Rachel's hand and lead her to the stage, along with Puck and after a reassuring kiss from her wife, the girls belted out a rousing rendition of their Junior Year mash-up _I Feel Pretty/Unpretty._

That night, as everyone retreated to the beach house, Quinn escaped to the tranquil peace of the beach and the sound of the ocean water lapping up against the sand, the moon and the stars her only company. This, was heaven. This was the type of place she could see herself living in after college, although she wasn't too sure how Rachel would feel about giving up New York for California. Maybe when they were rich and famous, they could own a home in both, spend their holidays and down time in the more relaxed California. It had the potential to work. The sound of shuffling feet against sand broke her from her thoughts and she looked up to see her adorable wife gazing down at her before eventually sitting in the sand next to her, hooking her arm through Quinn's which were wrapped around her knees.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Rachel asked as she adjusted the blanket wrapped around her shoulders to slip it around her wife. Quinn smiled. "I'm not alone, see," she replied pointing up towards their stars, "You're right next to me. Right where you belong," she sighed as she leaned down and connected their lips. Rachel pulled back and bumped their noses together playfully before tightening her hold on Quinn's arm. "Now what are you really doing out here?" the diva asked, clearly proving that she wouldn't be happy until she knew the real reason. Quinn chuckled as Rachel rested her head on her shoulder and she moved to rest her chin on top of the diva's head.

"Just wanted to come out here and enjoy this, the sound of the ocean, the glistening of the stars and the moon against the water. It's beautiful," she stated wistfully. A peaceful smiled crossed Rachel's face as she listened to Quinn explain her reasons for sitting on the beach at night and it made her feel content. "Maybe when we're rich and famous we can buy a place out here. You know for holidays and stuff, since we'll be living in New York," the diva stated in a matter of fact tone and Quinn laughed, because they couldn't be more on the same wave length if they tried.

"C'mon lets go to bed. And by bed I mean lets go and have amazing sex before Santana and Brittany decided to wake up the whole of Malibu," the blonde mocked as she stood up. Rachel giggled as she was helped to her feet. "You know, if you do that thing with your tongue again, my superior vocal talents may give them a run for their money, or at least some hefty competition," the diva responded and Quinn stood their stunned before she pulled Rachel into her arms and kissed. "God I love you and your evil little mind," she replied before the both dashed into the beach house, intent on giving Santana something to complain about.

The following morning everyone found themselves on the beach playing volleyball, Puck and Mercedes had even returned and agreed to spend the rest of the break at the beach house. It was great and Quinn was finally putting her camera to good use, snapping pics of her friends, new and old and everything else she found worthwhile. Rachel was in the middle of preparing to serve when Santana came out of the beach house having gone looking for snacks, holding her phone. "Rach phone call," the Latina called out. Rachel shrugged at Quinn who looked at her questioningly before passing off the ball to Brittany and heading towards the house and grabbing the phone from Santana.

"Hello Rachel Fabray speaking," she said as she walked in the house and stood at the kitchen island. "Rachel it's Dr. Miller. I know we agreed to go over your test results after you returned from California but I've got some news I think you may want to hear now," the man said in a very serious tone. Rachel could feel the knot forming in her stomach and her heart felt like a lead weight. This couldn't be good, there was probably something really wrong and he needed her to get to a hospital A.S.A.P. "Okay, I'm listening," she finally said.

Quinn stood on the beach watching her friends before she got an unsettling feeling that Rachel needed her. Turning on her heel, she jogged up to the house and walked inside to find Rachel standing at the island, her back turned to her. "Rach, everything okay?" she asked as she placed her camera on the coffee table in the living area and crossed the room. "Rach," she called again when she got no response. Placing her hand on her wife's shoulder she watched as the diva turned around to face her, tears streaming down her face. "Oh my God, baby, what's wrong?" Quinn asked as she pulled Rachel close and cupped her face in her hands, wiping away the fallen tears and placing a comforting kiss on her forehead.

"Dr. Miller called he said he had some news and that he thought I should know now rather than waiting till we got back," Rachel managed through laboured breathing. Quinn's heart dropped at what she heard, why was Rachel crying? Was it bad? "Oh babe whatever it is we can get through it together, like always," Quinn said as she pulled Rachel flush against her cradling the diva's head against her chest. Rachel sniffled and then spoke, "Quinn, I'm in remission," she said. The blondes movements stilled as she glanced down to see brown eyes gazing up at her. "What?" she asked, unsure if she heard her right.

"I'm in remission, the treatment worked," Rachel beamed as she placed a hand on Quinn's chest. "It worked? It worked, you're, you're in remission," Quinn fired out as she tried to comprehend what she was being told. Rachel nodded and in that moment Quinn's heart soared as she picked her wife up around the waist and spun her around and around before gently lowering her to her feet and diving into a deep, heated kiss, her hands coming to rest on the diva's cheeks. "I love you so much," she sighed as she pulled her wife into a hug and nuzzled her neck. Rachel wrapped her arms tightly around Quinn and allowed her tears of happiness to fall. "I love you too."

**Aww… so happy for my favourite girls. I think it's only fair to point out at this stage that this is the end of Quinn and Rachel's story as young adults in college. The next update will involve a tme jump where we will find out where exactly the girls have ended up.**

**Also just so you know, just because Rachel is better doesn't necessarily mean it will last. Cancer is a tricky situation and anything can happen, so be warned, Rachel isn't out of the woods just yet. There will be plenty of good times, as well as angst and drama to follow. This is the end of one chapter but a new era is dawning for the girls so I hope you stick around.**

**Also, I start back in college on Monday, and that involves a lot of travelling up and down so updates may not be as frequent as they have been, but I promise this will not become one of those unfinished stories that float around on here. I am determined to finish it out and I already have the girls journey over the next couple of chapters swirling around in brain so don't panic.**

**Anyways hope you enjoy and please, review I love hearing your thoughts and it really motivates me to update quicker.**


	25. Chapter 22

**Chapter update… yeay me! **** Thanks again for all the reviews, I really appreciate it and to all the people who have added my story to their alerts or their favourites thank you as well. Hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

7 Years Later

Quinn stood backstage, nervously fidgeting with the clasp of the belt buckle around the midsection of the deep purple knee length dress she was wearing. Even after years of practice, she could never get over the nerves she felt before giving an interview, but here she found herself, waiting to be called up for her segment, and the nerves were just as strong now as they were the first time she ever appeared on national television. A lot had changed over the last seven years, and after some moments of uneasy upheaval, things had finally settled down and she could safely say that she was in a really great place.

During Quinn and Rachel's second year of college, Rachel had been discovered by a Broadway director during a college theatre production. He was instantly charmed by the diva and after hearing her sing, he encouraged her to audition for a revival of Spring Awakening. At first she was hesitant, realising that if she got the part, she would have to leave behind college and move to New York much sooner than originally planned. But what really hindered her decision, was the idea of leaving her wife behind in New Haven.

When the girls made the decision to attend Yale together, it was because they wanted to live together as a married couple, rather than travelling back and forth visiting each other every weekend. The very idea of it almost compelled Rachel to turn down the audition. But Quinn refused to allow her throw away such an unbelievable opportunity over something as small as distance. After all, it had been Rachel who told her that it was inevitable that at some point they would have to be apart for the sake of their careers, and so Quinn was determined to deal with that if it meant her wife could follow her dreams.

And that's exactly what she did. Quinn put aside her own desire to keep her wife by her side and encouraged her to go to the audition, with the promise that they would see each other every weekend, and that Quinn would be there, opening night cheering her own. So Rachel went to New York, aced her audition and was cast as the female lead, and her wife supported her every step of the way. The success of the revival catapulted Rachel to Broadway superstardom. She was the toast of the musical theatre world and as the years passed the recognition also followed.

The diva was inundated with offers for roles in new musicals, originating two new roles and winning Tony awards for her work. Soon the diva was completing the transition into a crossover star, appearing in movies and tv shows and after landing an Emmy and an Oscar, the diva was one award away from accomplishing the EGOT. Through it all, Quinn was by her side cheering her on. The blonde would wait up for her to come home from a show, she would be there for opening night and Rachel's final curtain call, she would proudly walk the red carpet at award shows and clap the loudest when her wife's name was announced as the winner. Quinn was there through it all.

But she wasn't just standing in the background living under the shadow of her wife's fame. No, Quinn was far from being a nobody in the business. In fact, the blonde was now one of the most sought after starlets in the movie business. Not long after Rachel gave her first performance on Broadway, Quinn started scoping out open auditions for tv shows and movies, hoping that show how, she would land a role that would bring her closer to her wife. What she didn't expect to happen was to become an overnight sensation.

An audition for a new tv show based in New York landed Quinn the lead female role in a new crime thriller during her Junior Year of college. Rachel was ecstatic to say the least, not only would they be based in the same city, but her wife was also living her dreams. The show became an overnight success worldwide and Quinn was thrust into the Hollywood spotlight, earning her two Emmy wins and landing her starring roles in movies alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as DeNiro and most recently playing the younger sister of Reece Witherspoon in a rom-com. Life just seemed to take off for both girls.

However, even with the dizzying heights of their careers, and the demands of busy work schedules, Quinn and Rachel always worked hard to mould their schedules so that they were never apart for more than 2-3 weeks while they were working on individual projects when they had to work away from home, which for the girls was now New York City. Although Quinn did get her beach house in California like she wanted, a place the girls would use as their base when one or both of them were in L.A, or when they just needed an escape from the hustle and bustle of a busy city, a city that never sleeps.

Now here Quinn stood, seconds away from giving yet another interview to promote her latest movie. She just wished that one day she could get over those damn nerves. A voice from behind her broke her from her thoughts. "Mrs. Fabray your up next," the burly man said before glancing back down at his clipboard and speaking into his headset. Quinn nodded and walked over to behind the set where she would make her entrance. Standing in position she glanced at the monitor and watched as Ellen gave her introduction piece.

"My next guest is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now and recently made the list as one of FHM'S Sexist Woman Alive. Her new movie _All's Fair In Love and War _premiers this weekend, please welcome my friend Quinn Fabray." When the music of Bruno Mars _Just The Way You Are_ began to play Quinn walked out on to the wooden steps and smiled at the audience, giving them a small wave before walking down the steps and making her way over to Ellen, both of them dancing to the music for a moment before sitting down.

"Hi friend," Ellen said in a high pitched voice earning laughs from the audience and Quinn. "Hey to you too," Quinn replied reaching forward for the mug on the table and taking a sip of water to sooth her dry throat. "So we've been friends now for a couple of years but this is the first time you've been on the show. Why?" Ellen asked in a sarcastic accusatory tone, the crowd chuckling. "Well you never invited me. You always ask me to come on the show whenever we have dinner together but I never got an official invite until now," Quinn replied with a warm smile, playing along with Ellen's playful nature.

"You've been MIA for a while now, where you've been, what have you been doing?" Ellen asked as she sat back in her chair and straightened out her blazer. Quinn smiled and fidgeted with her wedding band, twisting it around. "I've been relaxing, just taking some time out. After we shot this movie," Quinn said gesturing her thumb to the big poster that was being projected onto the large screens behind them, "I decided to take a little break from filming for a little while to, you know, just to enjoy some downtime, spend some time with my wife and my friends," Quinn explained.

A slight giddiness bubbled up inside her at being able to talk so openly about the fact that she was married to another woman. When the girls had first hit the big time, they were encouraged, not to hide their sexuality or the fact they were married, but to be ambiguous about the topic until they were in a place in their careers where they were successful enough to overpower the destructive nature of the media. So they downplayed their personal lives for a little while until one day, they decided enough is enough. They were married and they were in love and they were not going to keep hiding it from their friends and peers.

So the girls and their people got in contact with People magazine and organised an interview, announcing to the whole world _'Yes we're Gay! And we're Married!_'. Their fans were shocked at first, but in the end they were happy for the pair and the girls were swamped with letters and tweets of support and were also thanked for adding their voice to the LGBT community, both by fans and fellow gay men and women working in the industry. Ellen and Portia even contacted the pair and invited them to dinner at their house and they had been close friends since then. Yes the girls received minor discontent from conservative groups but most of the feedback had been positive and they couldn't have been happier.

"Speaking of your wife, how's she doing?" Ellen asked as she twirled her own wedding band. At the mention of her wife Quinn's face lit up. "She is fantastic. She just started working on her album a couple of weeks ago. It's something she's been wanting to do for a long time and she's finally taken the time out from Broadway and Hollywood and just really taken the time to, you know, build up material for the album. So she's really excited, I'm so happy for her." Ellen smiled and talked a little bit about the first time she heard Rachel sing and was full of praise for the diva's voice.

"Now your wife is pretty open about her past experiences in high school and about her feelings. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair magazine, which I have here," Ellen said as she reached behind her and picked up the magazine that featured Rachel on the cover and opened it to the book marked page, "she openly talks about her battle with cancer, which I've talked to her about, but this is the first time she has made it public knowledge to the public. Did you know she was going to do that, were okay with it? Because you were together when she was diagnosed so this is as much your story to tell as it is hers," Ellen asked putting the magazine down.

Quinn twisted her wedding band around on her finger and thought about what she was going to say for a moment before speaking. "Rachel came to a couple of days after she booked the interview and we sat down and she said 'look I'm ready to open about that part of my life but I want to know if you'd be okay with that'. And I told her that if it was what she really wanted to do that I was fine with it, I support her 100% and when the article came out, I read it and I was incredible proud of the way she approached it. You know she was really honest but she was really respectful of the sensitivity of the issue and how it affected not just her, but everyone in her life and people who are going through something like this right now. It was great," Quinn finished with a big smile on her face.

The crowd applauded what they had just heard and Ellen joined in. "That's great and Portia and I, obviously we knew about this before it went to print and I just want to say that we are so happy that y'all got through this and you have achieved everything you have and we are happy to add our voice to the fight against cancer," Ellen said as she gently placed a hand on Quinn's knee before removing it. Quinn thanked her. "I'm actually running a marathon in a couple of weeks to aid cancer research so if anyone is around L.A please show up and give your support," Quinn added.

"Alright we're gonna take a break, we'll be right back and, and we're gonna talk some more with Quinn Fabray. We'll be right back," Ellen spoke to the camera and once the music started playing she turned to Quinn and spoke to her while the mics were turned off. Quinn sighed in relief knowing that the more serious side of the conversation was over. It had been agreed upon prior to taping that Ellen could ask Quinn about Rachel's article but the rest of the interview was to help promote the movie and Ellen readily agreed. And so the second part of the interview was lighter and Quinn to speak a little about what it was about and about the filming process.

Once the show was over, Quinn spent a little bit of time speaking with some fans in the studio audience, posing for photographs and signing autographs before meeting the band who had performed live backstage and complimenting them on their music. Finally she caught up with Ellen in her dressing room and thanked her for featuring her on the show and they agreed to have dinner Quinn and Rachel's house soon. With one final goodbye she walked out of the studio into the Warner Brothers lot and climbed into the waiting SUV, her assistant waiting for her in the back seat.

"Congrats, you just completed your last interview of the day. You are officially free to go home," the red head remarked as she tapped on the buttons of her Blackberry, answering yet another email. Quinn slouched down in the backseat and huffed out a large breath as she relaxed during the journey home. "You know, even though you can be a huge pain in my ass, I'm gonna miss having you constantly calling me and badgering me about interviews and promotional trips and photo shoots and….," Quinn's humorous rambling was cut off by her assistant who playfully smacked her on the arm. "Okay, okay I get. By the way your new assistant is due to start work Monday. I don't know much about her but she made quite an impression on the big boss man so she must be really good."

Quinn smiled gratefully as she turned to face her assistant, taking her eyes off her iPhone. "Thank you again for everything you've done for me over the years. I really appreciate it," she said with lopsided smile. Before the red head could reply they had arrived at the beach house and the SUV pulled into the driveway once the gates had opened. "Once you get settled in your new position call me and we'll go for dinner," Quinn said as she hugged the girl and then opened the door to climb out. "I will, bye Quinn. Say hi to Rachel for me," came the reply.

Walking up to the front door, Quinn removed the key from her little black purse and stepped inside. "Honey, I'm home," she called out as she walked down the short hallway and into the spacious open floor plan of the kitchen and living room, where the floor to ceiling glass doors opened out onto the deck looking out over the ocean. Walking over to the couch Quinn removed her black YSL heels and placed them in the nook just under the coffee table to prevent Arthur from getting to them and using them as a chew toy. Standing up, she walked out towards the deck and spotted her wife and their dog playing on the beach.

The diva was running about holding onto a tennis ball, throwing it for Arthur to retrieve and waiting patiently for him to return. Feeling the gaze of someone watching her, Rachel turned her head up towards the deck and smiled when she spotted the familiar figure of her wife looking down on her. Once Arthur had returned with the ball, Rachel leaned down to pet him on the head. "Look boy, Mommy's home," Rachel said as she gestured for him to follow as she jogged through the sand and up the private steps to her home.

"Hey you," the diva called out as she walked up to where her wife standing leaning against the steel framed glass railing around the deck. Quinn's smile grew as her wife got closer and once Rachel was within arms-reach, Quinn gently pulled the diva close to her and leaned down, gently pecking her on the lips. Rachel smiled into the kiss before they pulled apart. Noticing the familiar flash of a camera in the distance, Rachel entwined her fingers with Quinn's and led the blonde into the privacy of their own living room. Walking over to the couch, Rachel sat down, leaning against the back of the couch, Quinn sitting right next to her.

Leaning forward, Quinn captured Rachel's lips in a heated lip lock, running her fingers through dark luscious waves of velvet hair. God how she missed that when Rachel was sick. Now she made it a point to always run her fingers through her wife's hair whenever she could, and to compliment her after she had just been to the hair salon, choosing to make the insignificant things in life significant, regardless of how small it seemed to people watching from the outside. Pulling back, Quinn smiled and gazed into loving brown eyes.

"I missed you today," she sighed, making Rachel blush and shyly bite down on her lower lip. "And you," Quinn continued as she lowered her gaze and gently placed her hand against the slight swell of Rachel's lower abdomen. The diva lowered her hand and put it on top of Quinn's keeping her wife's hand in place. The decision to start a family occurred after Rachel had finished up her last Broadway show. The diva had already decided that she would take a break from the stage and from movie making to focus on her debut album, it was perfect timing for Rachel to try and fall pregnant.

Quinn was over the moon when they decided that they were ready to expand their family. Sure they knew it was going to be difficult to get Rachel pregnant, there was even a strong possibility that it may never happen, but Rachel was prepared to try, and try she did. The diva was now three months pregnant and neither girl could be happier. The process to get Rachel pregnant had been difficult and trying, it had taken cycle after cycle of IVF and they had failed six times before they finally got that positive sign on the little white stick and Quinn had been by Rachel's side for every injection, every appointment, every failed attempt, giving the diva anything she needed.

When they finally got confirmation from the doctors that Rachel was in fact pregnant, Quinn quickly got to work sorting out her schedule so that she was around for all of her wife's doctor's appointments and that the next project she worked on was either in LA or New York so that she could be there for Rachel throughout the course of the pregnancy. With the diva's medical history there was always a concern that Rachel could relapse while pregnant, or that there could be any other number of complications and Quinn wanted to be sure that she was always close by should something go wrong.

Gently lifting the hem of Rachel's summer blouse that was hanging loosely over her bikini top, Quinn pulled it up to display her wife's tanned tummy. It amazed her that the only sign of life growing inside the little diva was that little swell. It wasn't even big enough to be noticeable whenever Rachel wore normal clothes but it had begun to harden a little, forming a protective home around their future child and Quinn loved to caress it. For the time being, the girls were keeping the fact that they were expecting a secret from the public until Rachel was unable to hide it anymore, only informing their nearest and dearest, and those who absolutely had to know, of the news.

Standing up, Quinn gently helped Rachel up off the couch and guided her to their bedroom. Closing the door behind her, Quinn pulled Rachel into a heated kiss, letting her desire for her wife take over. Rachel smiled into the kiss and reciprocated with as much passion as she could muster up. Hans began to flail about as they helped each other into a state of complete undress before Quinn lowered the diva gently to the bed and took up position between Rachel's slightly parted legs, all the while placing soft, feather light kisses to the exposed tan skin of her wife's neck. Rachel trailed a hand up and down the length of the blonde's thigh before slowly making her way up to the heat of her wife's core.

Quinn groaned in pleasure as she felt Rachel's thumb circle her clit, her arms trembling as she tried to keep herself hovering above her wife. "Oh God Rach," Quinn uttered out through ragged breathes. Rachel leaned her head up and whispered next to her wife's ear. "Together," she hushed and Quinn nodded in understanding. Lowering her right hand down between the diva's legs, Quinn trailed her fingers through her wife's length and coated them in the heavenly juices that she came in contact with. She trailed her fingers down further and circled the diva's entrance, as she felt Rachel do the same and with a nod of the diva's head they both penetrated one another in dance that was so well synchronised, it evoked beauty and passion.

"Quinn, baby, I'm gonna cum," Rachel managed through laboured breaths. The blonde nodded her head in confirmation that she too was on the edge, with a few final thrusts both women came undone, their bodies pressed flush against one another as they rode out the strength of their orgasms. "Oh God," Quinn whispered as she pressed her lips against Rachel's forehead. "I love you so much," she sighed as she gently pulled out of her wife as Rachel did the same. The diva grazed her fingers up and down the blonde's sides. "I love you too," she replied as she gazed lovingly up into those beautiful hazel eyes.

Shifting from her position on top of Rachel, Quinn lay down next to her wife and pulled the covers over their naked frames and cradled the diva's head in her arm as her free hand rested against the home of their unborn child. She rubbed gentle circles on her wife' stomach as Rachel rested her hand on the Quinn's forearm, basking in the soothing feeling of her wife's ministrations. It wasn't long before they both allowed sleep to wash over them as they relaxed into the feel of one another's arms. The comfort they found in each other never failing to provide security in all the years they had been together.

A couple of hours later, Quinn was woken up by the sound of the buzzer of the gate sounding throughout the house. Rachel shifted slightly and slowly opened her eyes. Quinn leaned down and placed a kiss on top of her head. "It's probably my new assistant stopping by for mandatory introductions. You stay here and rest I'll take care of it," she explained as Rachel lazily nodded her head and curled up placing her head back down on the pillow. "M'Kay," was her only response. Climbing out of the bed, Quinn through on underwear, a pair of black skinny jeans, a vintage looking Radiohead vest top and a pair of wine coloured Converse before quickly running a brush trough her sexed up hair and giving Rachel a peck on the temple before exiting the bedroom.

Walking up to the main door Quinn clicked the speaker button. "Who is it?" she asked watching the surveillance camera. A man in a black SUV looked out the driver side window and pressed the speaker button. "Mrs. Fabray, I'm from the Collins and Parkinson Agency I'm here to drop off your new assistant Ms. Carter ," he explained. Quinn pressed the release button to open the gate and went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water while she waited for the doorbell to ring. After retrieving a cold bottle from the fridge and taking a few sips the doorbell rang and Quinn dashed down the hall to answer it.

"Hi….," Quinn's words died off as she came face to face with her new assistant. "What the hell?" Quinn asked in a harsh biting tone. "Nice to see you too Quinn, looks like we're going to be getting to know each other really well." Quinn watched as non-other than Shannon Peterson brushed passed her and entered the house, her home, the home she shared with Rachel. "What are you doing here Shannon? And what's with the false name?" Quinn asked as she stood angrily at the far side of the couch Shannon perched on. "Oh it's not a false name. My mom remarried after I graduated high school so I adopted my stepdads last name. My name is Carter now. Have to admit that came in handy when I was applying for the job," she smirked.

Quinn crossed her arms over her chest and stood with her shoulders squared. _This could not be happening, _she thought as she watched Shannon scoff at the framed picture of Quinn and Rachel on the small table next to the arm of the couch. Quinn loved that picture, it was taken the day the girls renewed their wedding vows two years ago in Maui. "Quinn, baby," Rachel called as she entered the living room, stopping in her tracks when her eyes fell upon their guest. Their now unwelcomed guess. "What is she doing here?" Rachel barked and Quinn quickly rushed to her side to defuse her wife's anger, stress was not good for a pregnant woman, especially not one as fragile as Rachel.

"I'm Rachel's new assistant. Isn't that great. I'm gonna be spending every single breathing moment with your wife answer any and all of her requests. Whatever they may be," Shannon husked out in a sulty voice. Rachel went to lunge at the other girl but Quinn stopped her, wrapping her tightly in her arms and pressing her lips against the diva's temple to calm her down. "It's okay baby, I'm gonna sort this out. I'm not gonna let her mess with us. Okay? I promise," Quinn said in a hushed voice so only her wife could hear her. Rachel nodded her head and they both turned to glare at the women sitting on their couch.

Things were about to get a lot more interesting…..

**So what did you think? Please review I'd love to hear your thoughts. I've spent the last week trying to figure out how to play out this chapter and this is what I came up with. What did you think?**

**Not sure when my next update will be, I hope it will be soon, but it will depend on college. Until then I'll see you all later. **


	26. Chapter 23

**Hey all. So sorry for the delay in updates but as I mentioned college is really taking up a lot of my time so I can't update as regularly as I would like. So here's a little filler before I get working on the next chapter. It's short but the next chapter will follow on from where the previous chapter left off, and a lot will happen so it will be quite lengthy. Anyways I hope you enjoy this and I just want to thank everyone for their responses to the last chapter, I was quite overwhelmed by how many I got.**

**For those of you who think that Quinn should have no problem getting Shannon replaced, you're right. She can easily be replaced, but that doesn't necessarily mean she will go away. The showbiz world is a small circle, so just bare that in mind. Anyways thanks again and enjoy.**

_A Few Months Ago…._

_Quinn walked around the grounds of Carton House in Kildare, admiring the beauty of the landscape and snapping pictures on her camera. The girl's lives had been incredibly hectic after their careers took off and their plans to travel around Europe had effectively been put on hold, until recent events made them realise that time away from their busy lives was exactly what they needed. Quinn exhaled a ragged breath as her mind briefly flashed back over the past couple of months._

_To say things had been difficult on Quinn and Rachel would be an understatement. After closing her last show and bowing out of Broadway for an extended break to focus on releasing an album, Rachel had brought up her desire to start trying for a baby. Quinn of course was ecstatic, she wanted nothing more to expand their family, but she was also aware of the fact that getting Rachel pregnant was not going to be an easy task, one that proved to be emotionally challenging and frustrating for both women._

_However Rachel was determined to keep trying for as long as she was mentally capable of dealing with the stressful procedures. Quinn for her part was a trooper and was by her wife's side for every doctor's appointment, every injection, every tear of disappointment because of a negative result, Quinn was present at all times and Rachel couldn't have asked for more. The girls were eventually rewarded for their persistence when on the sixth attempt the doctor returned a positive result. Rachel was pregnant, there was going to be a new addition to the Fabray family. _

_But fate was to deal the girls a crushing blow. Quinn and Rachel had just returned from the blonde's movie premier when Rachel began to suffer from cramping. At first the brunette put it down to exhaustion and a rather bad eggplant pasta she had eaten earlier in the day, but things would get progressively worse for the small diva. The next night while visiting Quinn on the set of her newest film, the stomach cramps returned and Rachel collapsed within the privacy of her wife's trailer, the pain unbearable whenever she tried to move. _

_It was sometime later that Quinn's PA and a crew member had stumbled upon the diva laying on the floor shouting out for help, things had gotten so bad that they had forgone calling for the on-set medic and dialled 9-1-1. By the time Quinn had made it back to her trailer after being informed of the situation, Rachel was already experiencing heavy bleeding, everyone very much aware that something devastating was happening right in front of them as they kept watch over the couple as Quinn cradled her wife close to her, waiting for the ambulance to arrive to take away the diva's immense pain. _

_After a multitude of tests and a sonogram that confirmed what they already knew, the doctors delivered the crushing news, Rachel had miscarried the couples child. Unable to deal with the overwhelming emotions coursing through her body, Rachel shut down completely, the world around her a distant thought as she lay in the hospital blocking out everyone who tried to offer her comfort. Quinn for her part broke down in a sobbing heap in her best friends arms in the confines of the empty family waiting room. Feeling hopeless in her attempts to comfort her wife and also dealing with the heartache of losing her child, the blonde just crumbled at the weight of the situation, thankful to have Santana there to catch her in her moment of weakness. _

_The entire situation had drained the couple, physically, mentally, emotionally. Rachel struggled with the depression that plagued her in the days that followed, until one day she awoke from a bad dream calling for her wife and when she felt those familiar arms wrap around her in a protective embrace, she let go and clung to Quinn for dear life as she mourned the child they would never meet. It was in that moment, in blonde girl's arms, that Rachel began to move forward and deal with the pain she had bottled up and Quinn couldn't have been more grateful that Rachel had chosen to seek comfort from her instead of pushing her away._

_About a month later Rachel decided that she wanted to try again, but Quinn was hesitant to go down that road again so soon after the ordeal of the miscarriage. She wanted her wife to take more time to heal before they even thought about either of them trying for a baby, but the diva's mind was made up and there was no way Quinn could talk her out of it. So they booked the appointment with their regular doctor and they underwent what felt like the hundredth procedure, only for the attempt to fail. Quinn was beginning to feel hard done by for her wife, it wasn't fair, Rachel was a model human being, heck she could enter the running for sainthood she was that perfect, but still she was handed down these blows that nobody deserved to go through. _

_However before the diva gave up completely, she told Quinn she wanted try one last time before they moved to the option of getting the blonde pregnant instead. So they did, they tried one final time for Rachel to fall pregnant. They followed the familiar procedure, did everything they could to endure a positive outcome, but when Rachel finally took that pregnancy test they were left disappointed by the negative symbol staring back at them from the little plastic stick._

_It was in the mere few weeks that followed that prompted Quinn to finally put her foot down and take charge of the girl's busy lives. In what felt like no time at all, both Quinn and Rachel found themselves knee deep in work, Rachel out of a need to preoccupy her mind and keep busy and Quinn out of contractual obligation to finish her movie. Knowing that her wife needed to get away from it all and that they both needed the opportunity to reconnect away from the glare of the public eye, Quinn cancelled all upcoming event, declined offers of work and booked a month long European getaway for her and her wife._

_Spain, Italy, France the UK and Ireland. The blonde figured if they were to commit only to a month then she would have to choose the places they most wanted to see and that were easy to travel to. They were young they had plenty of time to get to the rest of Europe, she just wanted to go to places that had enough distractions for Rachel and enough beautiful sights for herself to put her camera to good use. So with the trip booked, she ordered her wife to clear her schedule because for the entire month of February they would finally be getting around to taking their dream trip. _

_Although the beginning of the year was an odd time to be taking a trip, it worked out well for the girls because the quieter season meant they could travel relatively unnoticed, and so away they went. The girls landed in Spain first taking in the sights of Madrid, Barcelona and some of the smaller towns along the coast. They then flew to Italy, stopping off in Pompeii, Tuscany, Rome as well as indulging in some shopping in Milan before scooting off to Paris where they marvelled in the sights and museums before enjoying a romantic dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower. That night the girls made love for the first time in what felt like a long time and the sense of relief they felt at being able to reconnect in such an intimate manner made their hearts swell._

_Once the girls hit the UK, things began to slow down. Rachel began to feel more sluggish and her appetite was erratic, going from being unable to eat, to not being able to stop. At first Quinn figured her wife's body was just adjusting after all the IVF treatments, so she kept a watchful eye on the brunette for the remainder of the trip. Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Globe Theatre, they all made it onto the girls must see sights before they ventured outside of London, stopping in Yorkshire to check out the countryside, before heading to Liverpool were both Quinn and Rachel couldn't reframe from singing songs from The Beatles extensive back catalogue. _

_From their they took a trip up to Manchester, fitting in time to see a Mumford and Sons gig which Quinn had secured passes for in advance thanks to her agents association with the band and after being coerced by fanatic soccer fans in one of the local pubs, Rachel they should take in a soccer game to make their English trip complete. So as is often the case Quinn agreed with whatever her wife so desired and they found themselves at Old Trafford stadium watching Manchester United take on Chelsea in one of the biggest games of the season._

_The game ended in a 3-1 win for United with Rachel happily declaring herself a Red Devil, explaining to Quinn that the next time she was doing press in the UK she wanted to be able to show that she was a fan of British culture in things other than movies and music which according to the small brunette was a 'total cliché answer'. Quinn could do nothing but laugh at her wife's antics, but seeing the smile back on the diva's face made it all worth it. _

_So while Rachel used the restroom, Quinn quickly made a dash for the merchandise store on the stadium grounds and purchased two Man United shirts and had their names and the number of the date on which they were married printed on the back as well as picking up two scarves just for the hell of it. Rachel beamed at the sight and quickly wrapped the scarf around her neck, earning the approval and appreciation of a mob of United fans passing them by. _

_With their trip coming to an end, the Fabray women jumped on a plane and made their last stop in Ireland. At the recommendation of a showbiz pal who had frequently visited the country, Quinn booked them in to Carton House in Kildare outside the country's capital in a bid to maintain their privacy. It was close enough that they could easily to travel into Dublin, but far enough outside that they could keep out of the public eye. It was perfect. What wasn't so perfect was Rachel's stomach bug. The diva's appetite went from being ravenous to being unable to hold down a meal. The couple had plenty of time to get around to doing touristy things so with that in mind, Quinn ordered her wife to bed rest and had a member of the hotel staff call a doctor to come check on Rachel to make sure everything was really okay and that it wasn't anything serious._

_Which is how the blonde found herself wandering the grounds of the hotel alone, giving the diva some space and the doctor a chance to work without her constantly jumping down his throat out of unnecessary worry, while she snapped pictures on her camera, which by this point had been used to the point of exhaustion. Seeing that the sun was beginning to set beyond the green hills in the distance, Quinn smiled to herself and made her way back to her room, fully intending to snuggle up to her wife and relax with some movies or documentaries. Opening the door to their spacious room, Quinn made her way inside and placed her camera down carefully before making her way into the bedroom._

"_Rach, I'm back," she said as she entered the room, her smile faltering when she noticed that her wife appeared to be absent. "Rach?" she called out before noticing that the door to the bathroom was slightly ajar. A sinking feeling began to settle in the pit of the blondes stomach as images of her wedding night came flashing back. Quickly making her way across the room Quinn throw the door open and was relieved to find the brunette sitting on the edge of the large tub. "There you are," she sighed as she crossed the short distance to the diva, stalling for a second when she saw tears spilling down Rachel's cheeks. Leaping into action, Quinn sat down on the edge of the tub and pulled her wife into her arms offering her some form of comfort._

"_Sssh baby, it's okay. What did the doctor say?" she asked as she tried to figure out what caused her wife to be in this state. Rachel removed her head from its resting place in the crook of the blonde's neck and pulled back, wiping her eyes as she composed her thoughts. With stuttering breaths she managed to utter a two words, "I'm pregnant." Quinn sat stock still, her brain rapidly trying to process what she had just heard. "Y-you're pregnant," she said as she gently cupped the diva's face in her hands, "but w-what, how?" she asked. _

_Rachel smiled trough her tears as she wiped away few strays before clasping her hands around her wife's wrists and holding on. "When I told the doctor my symptoms he had his suspicions so he made me take a test just in case. I told him about our history with IVF but he wanted me to be sure just so he could rule it out. So I took the test and it was positive. I called up our doctor back home and explained it to him and he said that negative tests happen sometimes and that sometimes it's just down to timing," Rachel rambled as Quinn stared back at her in awe. "I'm pregnant Quinn. We're having a baby."_

_With those words Quinn crashed their lips together in a searing kiss before reaching her hands down and cupping the diva's stomach. "I'm gonna do whatever it takes to make sure this pregnancy works okay, I promise you that," Quinn stated with a steely determination in her eyes Rachel hadn't seen since she was battling cancer. The diva smiled the biggest smile she had managed in months, "We're having a baby," she sighed as she rested her forehead against her wife's. Quinn chuckled through her tears and kissed Rachel, "Yeah, we are."_

Present Time….

"Bitch you best be packing some serious body armour cause Santana is about to go all Lima Heights on your psychotic, no good for nothin' skinny white ass."

**Hope you liked it, please review. I'd love to hear what you think. Talk to you soon.**


	27. Chapter 24

**Thanks again for all the reviews and to the people who added this story to their favourites. Also thank you to Silverfox for standing up for me against the anonymous poster, I really appreciate it. I'm just sorry some people are complete cowards who are only brave sitting behind the safety of their computer screens. Anyways here's the latest update. I hope you enjoy it.**

"Bitch you best be packing some serious body armour cause Santana is about to go all Lima Heights on your psychotic, no good for nothin' skinny white ass." The Latina burst through the front door of the spacious beach house and rounded the short corridor into the living room, her bubbly blonde fiancée hot on her heels. Once she finally came to a stop to glance around for the poor fool on the receiving end of the rant and found nothing, she frowned.

"She's not here Santana, I made her leave," Quinn explained as she walked towards the living room couch from the kitchen with two cups of tea and a look of annoyance and frustration etched across her face. Rachel thanked her from her position next to the armrest as she accepted the steaming mug from the blonde with both hands, taking a careful sip, before lowering it and resting one of her hands over her stomach. Quinn sighed as she sat back with her own mug, resting her free hand on the diva's thigh.

"Gone! You mean you called me up to tell me that skank was back and now I don't even get to beat up on her? That's bullshit" Santana ranted as she sat down in one of the armchairs next to the couch where her friends were lounging and pulled Brittany down into her lap. The blue eyed blonde for her part ran her hand over the Latina's shoulder in a soothing motion to settle the girls raging temper. Nobody messed with the people close to Santana and if they did, not even God himself could stop her from doing damage, physical or otherwise.

Over the course of the last few years, Santana's friendship with Rachel had grown to that of a sibling bond. After the way the Latina had been there for the diva through her battle with cancer Rachel had grown fond of having her around and was often there to offer the girl advice or a shoulder to cry on, which surprised everyone except for Brittany and Quinn. After all, it was Rachel who helped Santana figure out what it was she wanted to do with her life, and encouraging her when she finally decided she wanted to be an entertainment lawyer and also pushing her to commit to Brittany before it was too late.

For that Santana was forever grateful and showed her gratitude by always looking out for and protecting Rachel from whatever the world decided to throw at her. Obviously she was there for Quinn as well but, but the diva wasn't as confrontational as her wife and just needed that extra bit of back up. When Rachel miscarried, Santana was crushed for her friends, so much so that she cried in Brittany's arms before gathering herself together and rushing to the hospital to comfort the people she had come to love as family. But seeing Rachel in such an emotional state afterwards, and the depression that consumed her, was difficult for the Latina to take.

So, when Quinn and Rachel came back with the news that the diva was expecting again, the feisty brunette made it her business to make sure that as both Quinn and Rachel's lawyer, their privacy was protected and that anything that could potentially cause Rachel stress or worry, was dealt with before she ever found out about it. Which is why, as soon as Quinn mentioned the name Shannon, Santana was out the door and speed racing through L.A to the Fabray household to cause bodily harm. Brittany tried calming her down but once the fiery Latina was revved up there was no stopping her.

Rachel smiled at her friend's obvious discontent at the situation while Quinn just rolled her eyes, some things never changed. "I gave Shannon her marching orders not long after she showed up," Quinn explained and sat up raising a finger to silence Santana who was about to interrupt, "and I called up the agency and told them I wanted her gone. Tom is working on getting me a new PA as we speak." Santana nodded at that, happy that Quinn was handling the situation as quickly as possible, but she still didn't understand how Shannon had managed to get the position in the first place.

"That's great and all, but how the hell did you not know that 'the she whore' was in the running for the job? I don't get it Q, you were always anal about that kind of thing," the Latina asked with a furrowed brow. Quinn nodded her head understanding where exactly Santana was coming from. Placing her cup down on the coffee table, the blonde leaned back and beckoned for Rachel to shift position so that she could loop her arm around her wife's waist. Once Rachel was leaning comfortably into Quinn's side, the blonde turned her attention back to the Latina and the bubbly blonde to answer the question.

"Usually I'm all over the hiring of people who work with me or for me, but after the miscarriage," Quinn trailed off, her eyes dropping as she flexed her arm around her wife as a show of comfort, "and finding out that Rachel was pregnant again, I just didn't want anything to distract me from here. So when I had to find a new assistant I told Tom at the agency to just go with who he thought was best for the job," she recalled as she mentally cursed herself for being so stupid. "If I'd known Shannon was in the running I never would have consented to it, but with the movie coming out and the promo work I had scheduled I just, I didn't want anything else on my plate that was going to occupy me," Quinn said as she placed her free hand on Rachel's lower abdomen and gently stroked it, "this is too important to screw up."

Santana watched as her best friend loving caressed her wife's pregnancy bump, her hazel beaming with happiness. Although she wanted to lambast the blonde for not calling her to deal with the task, she could understand where Quinn's intentions had been and for that she couldn't fault her. "I get it, you had other things to worry about, but just next time, could you maybe think about calling me to handle it," the Latina said as Brittany bounced on her lap. Quinn glanced over at her friend and nodded her head and Santana smiled at the acknowledgement.

"So Rach, how's the baby? " Brittany asked, deciding a change of subject was needed at that point, the poor girl hated it when conversations were heavy and tense. She just wanted everything to be all rainbows and unicorns all the time. Rachel smiled as she silently thanked the ditzy blonde for changing the topic to something more exciting and worthwhile. "Actually, we have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to see how things are with this little one," the diva smiled as she glanced down at her stomach giving it a loving pat.

"Is it just a routine check-up?" Santana asked as applied lip balm to her lips, softly fingering away the excess around the edges of her lips. Rachel looked back up to speak directly to the Latina and shifted so that her feet were now under her on the couch. "Well they're gonna do a sonogram to check on the baby, and they want to give me a general check-up to make sure everything is okay with me and that the pregnancy is running smoothly. It's just a precaution, but better to be safe than sorry," she said with a slight bop of her head.

Quinn nodded at what her wife had said. After the miscarriage, and with Rachel running the risk of a cancer recurrence, it was vital that the couple were vigilant to signs that anything could be wrong with either Rachel or the baby, so hospital visits were something both girls were more than happy to make as often as necessary. The mere thought of anything happening was enough to worry Quinn, the poor girl dreaded being away for extended periods of time in case anything happened and she wasn't there, she just wanted to wrap Rachel in cotton wool and keep her close by at all times. But she couldn't do that, yes she loved Rachel and the baby dearly, but smoothing them with her overprotectiveness was not going to do any of them any good.

So she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind and reminded herself that, if anything was wrong, Rachel would call her, and she would be there in a heartbeat. Checking the time, Quinn noticed that it was well into the evening and she was beginning to feel hunger creeping in. "You guys wanna stay for dinner? We can order take out?" Quinn asked her friends. Brittany beamed and fell back into the seat next to Santana making herself comfortable, Santana laughed and nodded her head. "The boss has spoken," the Latina said as she wrapped her arms around Brittany.

Rachel stood up and walked into the Kitchen picking up a menu from their favourite Chinese take-out place. "The usual?" she called out to the other in the living area and a resounding 'yes' was all that could be heard. Picking up her phone, Rachel dialled the number and once she got through, she ordered everyone's usual meals as well as some sides they could all share. Putting the menu away, the diva emerged from the kitchen and began making her way towards the hall. "I'm gonna change before the food gets here," she called out over shoulder as she passed.

Walking into the bedroom, Rachel walked over to the dresser and pulled open the second drawer, removing an old Yale t-shirt and some sweat pants. Before closing it, the old grainy picture she kept in the bottom of the drawer caught her eye and she carefully removed it, gazing at it with tears in her eyes. It was the sonogram of the baby Rachel had miscarried. Even though the diva had lost the child during the early stages, both Quinn and Rachel referred to the foetus as their baby, their perfect baby who had been cruelly snatched away from them.

The picture was the only reminder they had of the baby that wasn't meant to be, and Rachel couldn't bear to part from it, so Quinn had the sonogram picture put into a small silver frame and the diva cherished it, keeping it in the drawer to keep it safe. Quinn watched from the doorway as her wife wiped away the tear that had fallen down her cheek. The blonde had found the diva gazing at the old sonogram picture frequently over the last number of weeks and it tore her apart to see the quick flash of pain that would appear on the brunettes face for the few moments that she would trace her finger over the image.

It was in moments like these, watching from a distance, that Quinn hoped more than anything that everything would work out for the girls, if anyone deserved it Rachel did. Once the diva had put the picture back in the drawer, Quinn made a show of having just arrived at the door so as not to alert her wife to the fact that she had been watching her. "Hey babe," Quinn said with a smile as she walked up to where Rachel was standing and pecked her on the cheek.

Removing some worn jeans and a Rolling Stones t-shirt from the drawer, Quinn watched as Rachel put on her 'I'm totally fine show face' look that the blonde could see right through, but she didn't push for an excuse or a reason, she just allowed her wife that moment to remember their lost child, knowing that once Santana and Brittany were gone, Rachel would seek her out for comfort when she was ready, and Quinn would wait patiently for that moment, and welcome it with open arms and a tender kiss once her wife had been given the appropriate amount of time to process everything going on in her head.

But Quinn had her moments too, where she needed the arms of Rachel around her to deal with the turmoil in her head. There would be days that the blonde would pass by a park or pre-school on her way home and she would be reminded of the opportunities she was missing out on with the child that never was, and it would make her think. She would spend minutes, sometimes hours wondering what he or she would have looked like, what type of personality they would have had or whether or not they would have been musically inclined like Rachel or creative like herself.

Those moments would hit Quinn hard and when they did, Rachel would happily sit in the music room with her wife and sing soft soothing songs while playing the piano, while Quinn wrapped herself around the diva and held her close. She would never say anything, just sit and listen, and Rachel never pushed her to speak, she just simply communicated with her wife through the lyrics of the song and eventually, Quinn would open up and talk to her about what was on her mind. Sometimes they would cry, other times they would smile about thoughts that made them happy, but always they would make sure never to go to bed without having gotten whatever was bothering them off their chest.

A couple of minutes passed before Rachel jumped back into action and went about changing her clothes. Quinn glanced through the door of the en suite and watched as the brunette removed her blouse, bikini top and finally her shorts. She watched with lust in her eyes as the diva pulled the legs of her sweatpants up over her own toned, tanned legs, and the action caused Quinn to lick her lips as the feeling of arousal settled between in the pit of her stomach. Walking out of the bathroom, the blonde stood next to the bed and reached down for the Yale t-shirt, the diva smiling when she realised that Quinn wanted to help her put her top on.

Picking up her bra Rachel got to work on putting it on, as slowly as possible, knowing that Quinn was enjoying the sight before her. The blonde for her part, reached out a hand and softly ran her finger tips up and down the soft skin of her wife's stomach, the touch beneath her fingers as smooth as silk. Rachel smiled at the look of awe on Quinn's face as the blonde gently cupped the small swell in the diva's lower abdomen like it was the most precious thing in the world, because to her it was, before lifting her gaze to the brunettes now covered chest, the small scar from Rachel's chest catheter just about visible, but Quinn knew it was there.

Scrunching up the shirt to the neck, the blonde placed it over the diva's head and helped her to pull it on, before planting a kiss on the diva's lips and exiting the room upon hearing the buzzer, alerting them that the food had arrived. Rachel discarded both girls' worn clothes into the laundry basket in the corner of the room before re-joining her friends to enjoy their company and delicious food. Sitting at the dining table, the girls spent the best part of two hours catching up and discussing plans for the weekend. All four girls were based mainly in New York but their careers often called for them to travel.

Santana worked out of her law firms New York offices, but with her extensive client list reading like a who's who of the Hollywood IT crowd, and with two of those clients being her best friends, the Latina often found herself on the west coast, which worked out well because it allowed her to keep in frequent contact with Quinn and Rachel. There was also the added bonus that with Brittany spending a lot of time choreographing dance routines for tv shows and concert tours, or working as a dancer herself, Santana could often travel back and forth with her fiancée.

"Oh Rach, before I forget, one of your music producers, Rob? he wants you to call him A.S.A.P. I tried talking to him myself but he said he needs to speak with you directly," Santana said as she helped Quinn clear some of the plates and things from the table. The diva nodded her head and put a reminder in her phone to call her producer in the morning before her appointment at the hospital. After returning to the table, Brittany checked the time and frowned. "San we better go I have an early start in the morning," the blonde sighed, clearly not happy about having to leave.

"I thought you were on break after finishing that last project you were working on?" Quinn said, thinking maybe she had been wrong. Brittany rolled her eyes as she put her phone away. "I was supposed to be but one of the choreographers for the Justin Bieber concert is sick Tony asked me to come in and cover for him to make sure the dancers have their routines down before Friday." Quinn nodded her head in understanding as both she and Rachel stood to hug their friends and walk them out. After some more goodbyes and promises to meet up for a spa day Saturday after Brittany was officially on break, the girls retreated to their bedroom, exhaustion finally getting the better of them.

It only took Rachel a matter of minutes after settling herself under the duvet, to finally seek out that comfort that only Quinn could give her, rolling over into her wife's side and resting her head on the blonde's chest as Quinn wrapped both arms around the diva and rested her lips against brown hair, lingering there for a moment before resting her cheek there and gently rocking them both until Rachel finally gave in and drifted off to sleep, wrapped up in the place she felt the most safe in the entire world.

The following morning rolled around and Quinn and Rachel found themselves gathering together their belongings as they prepared for the day ahead. It would be a rather long drawn out afternoon but they just wanted to get it over and done with so they could be sure that their baby was healthy. The sound of the buzzer rang out as the car to take them to their appointment arrived. Quinn walked to the front door to open it as Rachel went into the music room to call her producer before she forgot. Quinn was waiting patiently in the kitchen sipping on her coffee when the front door closed and Puck came into view.

"You ready to go? Where's my Jew babe?" he asked as he looked around the room, seeking out his surrogate sister. The idea to have Puck work for the girls as their driver and sort of full time bodyguard was a no brainer. Both girls trusted him and they both felt better about having someone around that they were familiar with. Plus, it put Quinn's mind at ease having someone around that Rachel could depend on should she need them, especially after everything that had happened with Rachel being alone when she suffered the miscarriage. Quinn couldn't bear to think how scary that must have been, having to wait for someone to pass by to help, there was no way she would let that happen again.

Sure Rachel had an assistant, but that was only while the diva was working or on official business. The brunette needed someone there during off hours and after everything that had happened, Puck was more than willing to lend his services, considering he had been between jobs at the time and this gave him the incentive of getting paid and being able to hang around with his friends. He would even stay with Rachel whenever she was home alone for a night or more while Quinn was away doing obligatory promotion for her movie. It was the perfect solution. Santana had offered, but both girls had declined considering the Latina had a full time job and a fiancée to take care of.

Quinn glanced up at her old friend, smiling to herself, she still couldn't get over the fact that Puck had actually gotten rid of his beloved Mohawk. He now sported a shaved head and occasionally the odd bit of stubble, but that was usually only when he had those days where he just wasn't bothered shaving. Standing in the living area, Puck looked rather well put together in his black button up shirt that clung to his muscular physic, the top buttons open and the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbows, straight leg denim jeans and black boots, a pair of silver rimmed Ray Ban aviators hanging from his shirt pocket.

"Rach will be out in a sec she's just talking to one of the producers from the studio," Quinn explained as Puck took a seat on the couch and started to pretend wrestle with Arthur who was happy to see his 'buddy'. In the music room, Rachel was stressed out. Rob had informed that diva that one of the other producers was being head hunted for another artist and unless Rachel could commit to two months of uninterrupted recording time, he was going to accept the job being offered to him. This was a disaster for the diva, sure she could find someone else, but the guy they already had was one of the top producers in the industry and losing him would be difficult to replace.

Rachel wanted to commit to the two months but with being pregnant and having a number of hospital visits to contend with, there was no way she would be able to be consistent with her recording sessions. "I'm sorry Rachel, but this is just the business. Rogue is hot property right now and he can't afford to sit around waiting while other people are knocking on his door who are ready to record right now," came the voice at the other end of the line. The diva sighed and nodded her head, knowing that Rob was right. "Call me later tonight when you've made a decision, but Rachel think about this carefully because if you choose to let him go, it's gonna take a hell of a long time to get him back."

Ending the call, Rachel held her head in her hand's, this was not what she needed to hear on top of everything else. Slowly standing up, she fluffed out her hair and made her way back to the living area and smiled at Quinn and then Puck. "We ready to go?" she asked as she picked up her handbag off the counter top. Quinn glanced at her wife with a curious glint in her eye. "Everything okay babe?" she asked as she stepped forward. Rachel nodded her head saying that things were fine and that they would talk later. Puck and Quinn shared looked at each other with knowing expressions on their faces, things were not okay, but they didn't have time to push it so they let it be, for now.

"Alright let's go," Puck said standing up and walking towards the door, pulling the car keys from his pocket as he went. Quinn slipped her hand into Rachel's and entwined their fingers following him out the door, locking it before they both jumped in the silver Range Rover. Pulling up at a hospital in a black Sudan would look to conspicuous and the last thing the girls wanted was the paps following them to their appointment, so Quinn splashed out and opted to have Puck drive a car that looked more like a friend coming over to visit and less like two celebrities and their driver travelling to a prearranged location.

The trio arrived at the hospital with plenty of time to spare. Puck parked in the visitor's car park and accompanied them inside to make it look like Rachel and Quinn were visiting someone rather than being there for themselves. Once they made it to the appropriate floor, the girls went to the reception desk to sign in while Puck sat in the waiting area and flicked through a magazine. The thing about paying for private care was, you usually didn't have to wait too long to be seen to and within minutes of arriving Dr. Stevens was calling the diva's name. Puck winked at Rachel as she went in to reassure her that everything would be okay and Quinn smiled at the gesture.

"Rachel, it's great to see you again. How have you been?" he asked as he gestured for Rachel to take a seat on the examination table, while Quinn sat on the rolling stool near the head of the table and smiled up at the diva. "Things are good, at least I hope they are," Rachel said as she placed a hand on her stomach. The doctor gave her a lopsided smile, "well let's find out shall we. I'll just get you to lie back and we'll take a look at the little bub," he motioned as he lifted the diva's shirt over her stomach and then proceeded to place the cool gel in the appropriate place. Quinn grabbed a hold of her wife's hand and gave it a small peck as she stroked it with her thumb.

Dr. Stevens sat down on his stool as he began the scan keeping a close eye on the monitor. The girls waited with baited breath for him to speak and after a couple more seconds the doctor smiled. "And there it is," he said pointing out the small blob on the screen, beaming smiles breaking out across both Rachel and Quinn's faces as they looked at their baby, their future child. The blonde leaned forward and kissed her wife before turning to face the doctor. "Everything's okay right, with the baby?" Quinn asked.

The doctor handed Rachel some tissues to clean herself off and stood up, "Everything looks perfectly normal. We'll keep a close eye on the pregnancy as it progresses, but from what I can see, there isn't anything to worry about with this baby," he said as he printed off several images of the scans and placed them inside a little white cover slip, handing them to Quinn who placed them carefully inside her bag. "Okay, now for momma bear," Dr. Stevens said as he rolled up Rachel's sleeve and cuffed her arm to check her blood pressure.

Pumping it up, he kept his eye on the monitor while Quinn and Rachel waited patiently. "You're blood pressure is a little elevated. Have you been stressed or anything lately?" he asked, a knowing look passing between Rachel and her wife. "Yeah a little, some things came up out of the blue and I've just been a little overwhelmed by them," she explained rather guiltily as Quinn's hand came to rest on her lower back, rubbing soothing circles. "Okay well in the interest of you and the baby, you need to get a handle on it because the early stages of a pregnancy are the worst time to be dealing with high blood pressure," Dr. Stevens warned.

"I'm gonna run some bloods to make sure everything else is okay, the results should take about an hour to come through so if you want to go get some lunch, I'll have my receptionist call you when we're ready," he said as he gathered the things he needed to draw blood. Once he was done, Quinn thanked him and both she and Rachel made their way out to find Puck. Once they reached the waiting room, he spotted them and stood up. "So how'd it go? Everything okay?" he asked looking between both girls. "Everything's fine. He's gonna run some blood tests, the results won't be in for an hour so we're gonna go grab some lunch and come back," Rachel said as she adjusted the strap of her handbag on her shoulder.

"Okay, where do you wanna go?" he asked as he removed the keys from his pocket and hit the button for the elevator. "Anywhere just make sure it's somewhere quiet," Quinn spoke up taking out the scans and looking at the image of her future son or daughter. With those orders, Puck took the girls to a quaint café not far from the hospital and they had a nice lunch, catching up on what Puck had been doing in his down time. Just as they were finishing up, the phone call from the hospital came through and the group made their way back.

Once they got to reception, the nurse told them to go straight to Dr. Stevens office, that he was waiting for them and Quinn and Rachel made their way down the corridor. Knocking on the door they entered and found the doctor sitting at his desk reading through a file. "Ladies, have a seat," he said, Quinn and Rachel sitting down in the leather seats on the opposite side of the large desk. Rachel reached across and grasped onto her wife's hand, feeling more secure when she felt the blonde give it a gentle squeeze.

"Okay, so I have your test results and everything looks good," the doctor said as he glanced over them again. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief and Quinn lifted their joined hands to place a kiss on her wife's hand. "We'll keep a close eye you to make sure that nothing creeps up unexpectedly, but as of right now you seem to be perfectly healthy. I'd advise you to rest more, we need to bring your blood pressure back down to normal but other than that I will see for your next appointment," he said with a smile. Rachel stood up and thanked the doctor and Quinn did the same before they left the office and settled the date for their next appointment with the nurse at reception.

Puck couldn't help the smile on his face when he saw how happy and relieved Rachel looked, things obviously went well. "Everything's fine. I'm as healthy as can be," the diva said in a cheery voice leaning into Quinn's side. The blonde placed a kiss against Rachel's temple and held her close as all three of them made their way to the parking lot. While Puck walked ahead, Quinn took the opportunity to steal a kiss from Rachel before leaning in towards her ear. "We're gonna talk when we get home about that phone call earlier. I know something about it is bothering you and we're gonna talk about it and figure it out together. Stress isn't good for you or the baby," the blonde said as she placed a gentle kiss to the side of the diva's head.

Rachel heaved out a breath and nodded her head knowing that Quinn was right and they needed to sort things out. The last thing they needed was for Rachel's blood pressure to elevate more than it was. "Okay, but we also need to talk about the whole Shannon situation. I know your agency is dealing with it, but Quinn I can't deal with having her around," Rachel sighed feeling the weight of the situation on her shoulders. Quinn wrapped her arms tightly around her wife and nodded her head. "We will. I'm gonna make sure she stays away from you. I told you, I'm gonna make sure that you guys," Quinn said as she placed her free hand on Rachel's tomach, "are okay. I love you." Quinn leaned in for a kiss and once they broke apart Rachel responded with her own 'I love you' before they continued their journey back to the car, determined to fix things when they got home.

**So what did you think? Leave a review and let me know I love to hear your thoughts. It may take me a little while to update the next chapter, I'm pretty swamped with college but the good news is I have it planned out so once I get down to it, it should be a good read. Hopefully. **

**I'll also be bringing back Ben and Nicole at some stage not sure when could be the next chapter. Also let me know if there are any other characters you want to see come back. Talk to you soon **


	28. Chapter 25

**Thanks again for all the reviews for the last chapter I really appreciate it. Here's the next chapter. I had a little bit of down time in college so I got typing. Anyways hope you like it.**

Shopping was not an activity Rachel or Quinn could indulge in very often, at least not in comfort. Usually there was an unprecedented amount of paparazzi on every street corner waiting for them like wolves ready to pounce on their prey. It made the whole experience very undesirable so both Fabray only ever went out shopping if it was absolutely necessary. It was sad that their private lives were deemed public property, but they knew signing up for their respective careers that they had to be prepared to deal with the fact that a private life as a luxury not a privilege they were entitled to.

Although there were countless other ways they could spend their weekend with their friends, Rachel's ever expanding baby bump meant that shopping was now a necessity, the diva needed new clothes she could actually fit into, and they were both excited about the idea of being able to look at thing they may want to buy for the baby. For the first couple of months of the pregnancy, both girls had refused to chance their luck by purchasing baby clothes or thinking about names out of fear that it would somehow jinx them so they refused to even look at a baby store in passing.

But now that Rachel was four and half months pregnant, the doctor had assured them that everything with the pregnancy was perfectly normal ad there was no harm in preparing for the birth. With that knowledge in mind, and the bubbling anticipation of their new arrival, they decided that they would start 'looking' at things they might need, but neither was opposed to buying a few small things, just to have and show off. With that in mind, the Fabray's, as well as Puck, Mercedes and the newly arrived Mike and Tina, found themselves aimlessly wandering from store to store while the men carried the bags.

After graduating from college, Mike had been offered a job as a choreographer at an up and coming dance studio in Illinois. The timing was perfect and it allowed him to build up his profile as a dancer while also giving him the flexible to travel so that he could visit Tina who while she was in college in New York. It didn't take long for him to be noticed by some theatre companies who quickly signed him to help choreograph shows on Broadway and since then he had been actively working in the business, even collaborating with Brittany on many occasions.

Tina had spent the last number of years slowly building a name for herself on stage. Although she was no Rachel Fabray, she was successful enough to have been a part of a number of Broadway musicals and was happy with the path her career was taking. Living in New York meant that the couple were able to stay in constant contact with Quinn and Rachel and they often had get-togethers with the rest of the former glee clubbers who were also based in the City. Kurt and Blaine had also taken up residence in Manhattan, however their paths took a slightly different route to what they had originally planned.

After failing to get into NYADA, Kurt interned at Vogue magazine and it was during his time there that he realised that his future lay in fashion and not on stage. This led him to apply for fashion colleges in the city and upon graduation, he was offered a job at the fashion house he interned with during his studies. New York was home but his job often meant travelling for fashion shows in Paris, Milan and London to name just a few. Blaine on the other hand, successfully graduated from NYADA and auditioned relentless for Broadway shows before finally landing a role in a new production. He recently won an award for his latest and thanks to that his profile was slowly on the rise.

As for the other gleeks, well Sam, who was still in close contact with the girls, was touring with a country pop crossover band he joined while in college. They were still unsigned but Rachel assured him it was only a matter of time considering the strong fan base they had built up. Sam and Mercedes briefly rekindled their relationship while Sam was studying at UCLA, however the pair soon realised that some relationships were better left in high school and ended their affair amicably while maintaining a close friendship. The diva in question was currently working on her first solo album after being signed by a label following years of performing as a back-up singer. Mercedes Jones was finally on her way.

The girls had tried to keep in close contact with the rest of the glee clubbers, but some of their old friends were just harder to stay in touch with. Artie decided to go to film school in Boston after graduation and during his senior year, took a year-long study course at a school in England. He ended up meeting a girl there who he has been in a relationship with ever since. Needless to say, Artie chose to stay in England to be with his girlfriend although he intended to return home at some stage.

For all his troubles with the girls, Finn maintained contact with the girls over the years, even visiting them on a number of occasions, but after realising that he wanted to be a teacher after subbing for Mr. Shue in Glee Club, he worked his way into college and graduated with a degree, something that surprised Finn himself. He now worked as the mechanic teacher and football coach at McKinley and co-coordinated the Glee Club with Mr. Shue. Sure he was still in Lima, but he was happy with the way his life turned out. Finn finally found something he was passionate about and both Quinn and Rachel were happy for him.

Not a lot was heard of where Sugar and Joe went. Although they were part of the club, they didn't share the same bond that the original glee club members shared and so they sort of drifted off everyone's radar. Although it was alleged at one point that Sugars father had managed to 'buy' Ireland so she could be reunited with Rory. This information turned out to be false. The only other people that Quinn and Rachel stayed in close contact with were Ben and Nicole. Ben graduated from Yale and was now one of the CEO's of a Surf and Leisure company he launched with his father and Nicole had taken to writing theatre plays as opposed to actually performing in them like she had in college. All in all, things worked out pretty well for everyone.

As the gang walked around aimlessly, browsing at windows to see if anything caught their eye, eventually they stumbled upon a baby store and they made their way inside. Rachel and Tina awed and cooed over all the adorable little baby grows and booties, while Quinn and Mercedes browsed in another section and Puck and Mike stood back keeping watch over the ladies, Puck being extra vigilant of people who pose a threat or intrude on the girl's private time. As Rachel was looking through some stuffed animals she noticed a small lion cub teddy that made her melt.

"Oh my God, Quinn we have to get this," she sighed as she patted the lion's soft head, "it would be so adorable. You know, since the baby's our little cub," the diva explained. Quinn chuckled at the joyous look on her wife's face. "So you want it purely because of the fact that you refer to me as your Lion Quinn?" the blonde questioned, and when Rachel nodded her head like and excited child, Quinn couldn't contain her laugh. "Okay, whatever mama bear wants, mama bear shall have," she said as Rachel bounced excitedly. Before the diva made to move Quinn held up the white onesie that she had been holding onto.

"Look at this, isn't it the cutest thing ever," she said as she looked Rachel in the eyes, the brunette was in awe of the article of clothing. Written in bold childish print across the front was the slogan 'My Mommy's A Star' followed by a little gold smiling star. It was the most precious thing she had seen in the store so far. Obviously a lot of A-listers shopped in this particulary spot for their baby essentials. "Oh Quinn I love it," Rachel cooed as she ran her fingers over the material. The diva beamed up at her wife before leaning in and giving her a loving peck on the lips. This was exactly the pick me up the brunette had been in need of.

After Rachel had talked to Quinn about her dilemma with the producer on her record, Quinn had helped her come to a rational and logical conclusion after spending hours explaining to her wife that regardless of her decision she would support her and do whatever was necessary to make all the arrangements as stress free as possible. It was a given, Rachel had to let Rogue go. Yes he was a brilliant producer, but the diva just couldn't make that kind of commitment, at least not now. With that decision made, Rachel had come to the conclusion that until it was safe for her to work during her pregnancy, she would put the production of her record on hold.

As for the Shannon dilemma, Santana had successfully helped Quinn's agency find the actress a suitable replacement assistant. Shannon was non too pleased with the development, but Quinn didn't care in the slightest if it meant that Shannon was out of a job. All she cared about was that Rachel was happy and safe and that Shannon wouldn't be around to interfere. Although Santana had warned that just because the bitch was out of a job, didn't mean she would be out of their lives. Hollywood was a small circle, it was only a matter of time before she showed her face again in some way or another.

"So what's it like working for Quinn and Rachel?" Mike asked as Puck as they glanced at some of the baby sports merchandise not too far from where the girls were. Puck smirked at a cute little Lakers basketball shirt on one of the racks. He momentarily thought about getting one for the little munchkin when he or she arrived but thought better of it. With Rachel's love of all things New York he would probably in a safer position to buy a shirt by the Yankees, Giants or Knicks instead. Boy or girl be damned, Uncle Puck was going on have some influence on the kids life, which meant sports was a must.

"Yeah it's pretty cool. I mean I get to hang with two of my best buds whenever I want and the pay ain't too shabby either. I mean some days it sucks, the paps can be a real pain in the ass. But as long as Rach and Q are okay I'm down with it," he responded as he ran his hand over his shaved head. Mike grinned at his friend with a knowing look. Puck would never admit it because of his badass image, but deep down he was a big softy who would do anything for his friends. Dressing in drag senior year to save Glee Club pretty much confirmed as much, but he held a special torch for both Quinn and Rachel and Mike knew that when they asked Puck to be their unofficial minder, her was touched.

"Hey I've got tickets to the Dodgers and Red Sox game next weekend, you in?" Mike asked as he ignored a call on his phone. Puck gave him a lopsided grin and fist bumped the dancer. "Hell yeah I'm in. Q and Rach are having a night in with their college buds so my services will be required." The boys continued on chatting and laughing while the girls continued browsing. Before they knew it, they were approached by Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes and Tina, the married couple carrying a few smile items they had picked up. "You guys ready to go?" Puck asked.

"Yeah, we just need to pay for these and then we thought we'd go some-place and get some lunch. That cool with you guys?" Quinn asked, knowing that her wife's cravings would kick in soon and both she and the baby needed to be fed. Everyone nodded their agreement to the plan and as Rachel stepped forward to pay Puck went with her to make sure everything was kosher with the staff. The rest of the group hung back by the exit and exchanged idle chit chat, "I still can't believe Rachel's pregnant. I never thought I'd say this but impending motherhood looks good on my fellow diva," Mercedes said with a smile. Quinn gazed after her wife and with a wistful sigh she replied, "it really does."

It didn't take long for Rachel to return with her purchases and once she slipped her hand into her wife's, the gang all exited the store and made their way back to their cars to head for lunch. Quinn chose a restaurant near Venice Beach that she and Rachel had been to a handful of times. They considered going to a trendier place within the city, but figured it would be easier to stay off the radar if they blended in with the weekend crowd. Puck pulled up into a spot that had just been vacated along the street a jumped out of the car before the girls to make a quick sweep of the street to make sure no paps were lurking in the bushes.

"It's okay we're good," he said as he ducked his head into the car under the guise of retrieving his sunglasses. Quinn nodded before grabbing a hold of Rachel's hand and leading her out of the car, shutting the door once the diva was safely on the footpath. "Do we want a table near the back?" Mercedes called out from her position next to the waitress as the girls and Puck joined up with the group. Rachel nodded her head and the waitress smiled before leading them to the back of relaxed restaurant. Once they were all seated they each received a menu and after giving their drinks order they were left alone to browse through their options.

"So when are you guys coming back to New York? We miss you," Tina sighed as she placed her menu down and brushed at her bangs. Rachel looked at her wife and smiled, knowing the answer to that very question, "Actually we'll be home at the end of the month," the diva gushed, making it clear that her heart as belonged in the enchanting city. Quinn nodded and turned to face Tina, "My movie's wrapping up production here soon, then we're flying back to New York to finish some of the exteriors, so it's worked out well." Mike and Tina beamed at the news. They couldn't wait to resume their double date nights.

"How are things with the pregnancy? Everything good?" Mike asked when he noticed Quinn stroking her wife's baby bump. Clearly the blonde was having a bit of trouble with the whole subtlety concept the girls had discussed with regards to not drawing attention to themselves, but who could blame her, she was besotted with her wife and future child. She couldn't wait to be a mom. "Yeah everything's good so far. Rachel's getting regular check-ups and the doc says both she and the baby are doing really well. In fact, if the baby stays in the position it's in now, he thinks we'll be able to find out the gender," Quinn cheered.

Everyone at the table couldn't help giggling at the blonde's enthusiasm. Mercedes chuckled and shook her head at Quinn's antics. "Don't you wanna wait and keep it as a surprise?" she asked as twirled the napkin around her fingers. Rachel glanced at her wife and shook her head. "No. We waited so long for me to get pregnant, not knowing whether or not it was ever going to happen and it was torture. This is something we have a say in and I for one do not have the patience to wait any longer," the diva said as she placed her hand on her wife's thigh and gently stroked it.

"So what do you want a boy or a girl?" Mike asked as he leaned back and wrapped his arm around the back of Tina's chair. Quinn jutted out her lower lip and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really care. Just as long as the baby's healthy and Rachel gets through the rest of the pregnancy with a clean bill of health I'll be happy." A snort from next to the blonde drew her attention to her wife. "Yeah right. Don't play the 'it doesn't matter to me' card," Rachel said with a raised brow before turning towards Mike, "Quinn would love to have a girl. She'd never say it out loud but I know that's what she really wants."

Tina giggled as Quinn blushed, "Okay fine, I'll admit, a mini Rach would be nice. But even if it's a boy I'll be just as happy. Hell I don't care what it is, it's ours and that's all that matters." Mercedes and Tina swooned over the couple and Quinn took the opportunity to kiss her wife. Puck and Mike acted like they were unaffected by the display of emotions going on around them but underneath their tough guy exteriors they were thrilled for the couple. However Puck didn't fail to notice the group of girl at a table nearby pointing and glancing over towards their table. He had a bad feeling about the attention that was being directed their way.

The rest of the meal passed by with easy conversation and plenty of laughs and as the gang paid for their lunch, Puck took the opportunity to check his Twitter feed to check out the latest football results, but was instantly side tracked when he noticed the dozens of sightings of MrsQuinn_Fabray and MrsRachelBFabray at the very restaurant they were sitting in. The first tweet went out a half hour ago, which meant that outside was now a feeding ground of hungry pap's. "Shit," Puck said as he jammed his phone back into a pocket. Quinn instantly looked up from checking her own phone.

"What?" she asked as she stood from her seat to pull on her faded denim jacket. Puck glanced up at her, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "The pap's are outside," he said as he stood up and glanced to the front of the restaurant and notices that there are a few hovering near the door. The back exit isn't an option as they would still have to walk round the narrow side alley to get back to the car. Damn Twitter. Quinn scratched her head as she tried to formulate a plan to dodge the waiting media. But besides waiting out there wasn't really anything they could do except face the paparazzi and hope they respected the girls enough to keep some distance.

"Okay, Puck you go with Rach, make sure she gets to the car," Quinn said as she turned to face the diva, who was clutching the strap of her handbag, "What about you?" Rachel asked as she placed a hand on her wife's forearm. Mike stepped forward and stood next to the girls. "I'll walk out with Quinn. Tina and Mercedes and head back to our car together it'll be fine," he said with a lopsided smile. Rachel nodded her head at him in thanks and gave a small smile before turning to face the figure of Puck who was hovering over her, "Ready?" he asked and once he received chorus of yes, he grabbed a hold of Rachel's hand and made his way to the door.

As they stepped out into the Californian heat, the pair were blinded, both by the strength of the sun and flash of some of the cameras. Puck instinctively placed his arm around Rachel and began guiding her through the swarm of cameras and men calling her name and trying to engage her in conversation. Once Quinn and Mike emerged from the restaurant some of the pap's fell back to catch pictures of the blonde who was trying to keep an eye on Rachel who was a good few yards ahead. Puck finally made it to the car with the diva and as he tried to hold back some of the men trying to lean in for pictures, he was caught off guard when one of the men mistimed his step fell into Rachel who was trying to open the door.

The brunette crashed into the side of the car, her front pressed up against the door, squirming under the weight of the man who was trying to straighten himself up and worrying about the fact that she was being crushed into the side of the car. "Watch it asshole she's pregnant," one of the other men shouted out, which was ironic considering he had just chased her down. Upon seeing her wife being pretty much body slammed into the side of their Range Rover, Quinn jogged the rest of the way to the car, practically steam rolling over everyone in her way.

The guy who fell had just managed to pull himself together when Quinn literally pushed flat on his ass onto the pavement, cutting through him for a shortcut. Reaching Rachel she took a protective stance behind the diva to block out the paparazzi so that she could safely climb into the car. Puck and Mike held the mob back as Quinn climbed in and once they heard the sound of the door closing, Mike took off for his own car while Puck climbed into the driver's seat. Without so much as a word, he started the ignition and tore off down the street, intent on getting the girls home as soon as possible.

"Baby, are you okay?" Quinn asked as she cupped Rachel's cheek in the palm of her hand and checked her over for any signs of obvious injury. The diva nodded her head although it was clear she was a little shaken up. "Y-yeah I'm okay. My handbag softened the impact. I'm fine. We're fine," Rachel said as she placed one hand on her stomach and the other on Quinn's hand that was cradling her cheek. The blonde leaned in and pressed a comforting kiss to her wife's forehead and then sat back in her seat pulling the diva close to her. Rachel glanced at Puck in the rear view mirror and saw the guilt in his eyes. "Noah, this wasn't your fault. You did everything you could so don't beat yourself up," Rachel said with sincerity in her tone. Puck glanced at the diva's reflection for a moment and nodded his, although it didn't make him feel that much better about the whole situation.

Two weeks later the girls sat in the doctors examine room, the diva propped up on the table laying back while Quinn sat by her side. The doctor walked in and smiled at the girls who were engaging in idle chit chat but stopped upon his arrival. "Hello Ladies, are we ready to see how the little bubs doing?" he asked as he applied the cold gel to the diva's protruding stomach. The girls both nodded their heads and smiled at one another. "Do you still want to know the sex of the baby?" he enquired as she began the sonogram. Rachel looked at Quinn with a questioning look and the blonde nodded the affirmative.

"Yeah, we want to know," Rachel replied before focusing her gaze on the screen, as Quinn gripped her wife's hand between hers and placed a soft kiss to the diva's knuckles. After moving around for a couple more seconds, the doctor finally settled on an almost crystal clear image. "Alright, there she is," he said after quickly examining the image before him. Rachel lifted her head from its resting place and gazed at the doctor, "She, it's a girl?" she asked and smiled when the doctor nodded his head in confirmation.

"A healthy baby girl," he replied. Rachel turned to her wife who had tears in her eyes and the biggest smile on her face. "We're having a girl, we're having a daughter," Quinn managed with a shaky voice that displayed her emotion and excitement. Standing up, the blonde hovered over Rachel for a second before swooping down and capturing the diva's lips in a searing kiss that expressed the love she felt in that moment. When they pulled apart, Rachel gazed up into joyful hazel eyes, "We're having a girl," she sighed.

**Aww… Baby Fabray is a girl. I actually thought about having the baby be a boy but for some reason, in my head, a girl just fits into the Fabray family image I have in my head, so after some serious back and forth, the girl won out. **

**Anyways hope you liked it and thanks for reading. Please leave a review I'd love to hear what you thought of this chapter. The next chapter will be set in New York and the girls will discuss baby names and godparents, and there may or may not be some drama/angst. Stay tuned.**


	29. Chapter 26

**Hey, I'm back. Once again thank you for all the follows and reviews I really do appreciate them a lot. So I'm on break for the next couple of weeks so I'm going to try and have one or two more updates before I return to college so stay tuned for that. Until then, here's the latest chapter. I hope you all like. **

"Cheating on me again I see," Rachel snidely remarked as she walked toward her wife who was standing by the craft service table nibbling on some fruit having just spent the past two hours filming a scene for her latest movie. Upon hearing that heavenly voice, Quinn looked up to see the brunette walking over to her, flicking through a copy of US Weekly she found in the hair and make-up trailer earlier.

"Well I do have a reputation to keep up with," the blonde wittily replied. Placing the bowl of chopped fruit down, she reached out and pulled her heavily pregnant wife into her arms and kissed her on the temple before glancing down at the magazine Rachel was reading. "So who am I having an affair with this week?" she asked as she flicked back through the pages to find the latest article that had been written about her.

It had become a frequent occurrence lately, with Rachel having stepped out of the limelight to focus on the remainder of her pregnancy. With little else to gossip about, the magazines had begun spinning stories of separation and divorce between the pair, using pictures of Quinn hanging out with female friends and co-stars, spreading rumours that she was cheating. At first the blonde had been incredibly upset and angry about the whole issue. The last thing Quinn would ever do is cheat on her wife, she had made vows for a reason and she whole heartedly intended to keep them.

It was difficult for her at first to bite her tongue and ignore them, but once Rachel had begun making jokes about how Quinn was ditching her for sub-standard, semi talented wannabes, she found herself laughing about the whole thing. If it amused Rachel then as far as she was concerned, the tabloids could continue to write their lies. After finally finding the article the brunette had been talking about Quinn snorted at the sight of the pictures of her with actress Shay Mitchell staring back at her from their business lunch the previous week. Both their agents were conveniently absent from the images.

"At least they got one thing right, I do find dark haired, brown eyed girls incredibly sexy," she husked as she leaned in to place a searing kiss on her wife's waiting lips. Feeling the need and want the blonde was putting into the kiss growing more and more heated Rachel threw the magazine down on the table next to them and wrapped her arms around her wife's neck, leaning in as best she could with the baby bump that was resting snugly between them. The pair continued their make out session with each other until wolf calls from members of the crew interrupted them, reminding them they were still very much in public.

"So, I have an hour, or two depending on how long it takes the set design team to get the next set ready, before they need me back, so I say we go to my trailer and go through that book of names again see if we become inspired," Quinn asked as she picked up the coffee her assistant had picked up from Starbucks for her, and the organic smoothie she had requested for her wife, from the crafts table and handed the beverage to the grateful brunette. Nodding her head, Rachel draped Quinn's arm over her shoulders and linked their fingers together as they made their way back to the blonde's spacious trailer, intent on coming up with a name for their baby girl.

The couple had picked up a 'Big Book of Baby Names' a week ago and had spent every night trying to find a name they both agreed on, but finding the perfect name was proving to be difficult. The girls wanted their daughter to have a normal, traditional name, something that would be cute for a baby girl, but also something that she could grow into and that would suit her as an adult. However Rachel also recently came to the conclusion that she wanted their daughter's name to reflect the fact that they discovered the diva was pregnant while in Ireland.

Quinn believed that this idea was just a phase brought on by the fact that they had just watched Marley and Me for the first time about a month ago, but Rachel quickly defended the idea, saying that Ireland holds special memories for the couple and she wanted to honour that by giving their daughter a piece of the culture that had been so good to them. After that Quinn had agreed and they decided that their daughter's middle name would be of Irish origin, unbeknownst to Quinn, Rachel already had the perfect name picked out. The diva was just waiting until they had come up with the baby's first name before revealing it to her wife.

So they found themselves locked away in the blonde's trailer, Rachel sitting on the comfy leather couch holding the book of names with Quinn's head resting in her lap as the blonde rubbed her wife's stomach enjoying the feel of their daughter kick against the palm of her hand. Rachel rambled off a list of names, only stopping whenever she or Quinn would interject a no, before continuing to browse through the baby names. They were almost all the way through and the diva was beginning to grow impatient.

"Zoe?" she said as she glanced down to her wife who scrunched up her nose, shaking her head. "No. God! Why is this so hard," Quinn cried out as she rubbed her brow. Rachel huffed out a breath, they still had no idea of what they might want as a name and every day that passed brought them a day closer to the diva's impending due date and there was no way Quinn wanted to wait until after the baby was born to come up with something. "Okay," the blonde said raising a finger to her wife in a 'I have an idea' manner, "okay, one more time, go through the entire book one more time and if we don't come up with anything this time, we'll start asking for suggestions," she said. Rachel was reluctant but considering she was tired and her wife was due back on set soon, she nodded her head and opened the book back up at the very first page.

"Okay, here we go," she said as Quinn lifted her head from the diva's lap and sat up so that she was side by side with the diva so that she could read the names as Rachel called them out. Abigail, Alex, Alyson, Amanda, Becca, Bonnie, on and on they went through the names but nothing seemed to click, until, "Charlotte," Rachel said and just as she was about to move on Quinn placed a hand on her wife's arm and grabbed the book from her hands staring down at the name that had tripped a switch in the blondes head.

"That's it," Quinn said as she pointed at the name, "that's the name, it's perfect," the blonde beamed as she looked up at her wife who glanced down to read the name. "Charlotte?" Rachel asked and Quinn nodded. "Yeah, I mean think about it. It's a nice normal, traditional name and we can call her Charlie for short." Rachel chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it, reciting the name over and over again in her head and the more she said it the more she began to like it. A smile began to creep across the divas face as she glanced up at her wife with shimmering bright brown eyes, "I love it," she said.

Quinn smiled back before she leaned in and kissed her wife, finally they had come up with a name. "Charlotte Fabray. It just sounds so right, now all we need is a middle name," she sighed as she cupped Rachel's cheek in her hand, feeling content that they at least would have a name for their daughter when she finally arrived into the world. Rachel sucked in her lower lip between her teeth, realising that now was the perfect opportunity to offer up her suggestion for a middle name. "Actually I think I have a name that I really like and I know for a fact that it has Irish origins," she explained as she sat up straighter and gripped her wife's hands in her own.

"Okay, well what is it?" Quinn asked giving the diva's hands a reassuring squeeze, eager to hear what the brunette had come up with. Rachel looked into those hazel eyes she loved so much, and seeing the love reflected back, she knew she had picked the right name. "Quinn. C-Charlotte Quinn Fabray," she stammered as she watched the realisation slowly spread across her wife's face. The words having finally sunk in, Quinn allowed a small tear to fall from her eye. "Y-you want to name our daughter after me?" she asked. Rachel nodded and smiled, gently wiping away the tear that had fallen down her wife's porcelain cheek.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "I want her to have a strong, courageous name. A name she can be proud of and I can't think of a better name than that." Quinn could feel the emotions bubbling inside her trying to force their way to the surface. But she refused to break down and cry like an emotional wreck. Today was a happy day, not a day for tears, that would come after the birth and she held her baby girl in her arms for the first time. Instead, Quinn reached over and pulled her wife into her arms, wrapping her up in a hug that said everything she couldn't in that moment. "Thank you," she finally managed and Rachel responded by holding her wife closer. After another moment passed the diva disengaged the hug and sat back, placing the book on the small table next to the couch.

"Okay so now that we have a name picked out, may I suggest that we arrange a day sometime this week to inform our friends that we have chosen them as Godparents," Rachel said as she pushed herself up to get more comfortable on the couch, baby aches and pains were beginning to creep up on the diva however Quinn was as attentive as ever, offering up foot rubs and massages, but Rachel's favourite was whenever 'Charlotte' was kicking up a storm, the blonde would sit in behind the small brunette and wrap her arms around her and softly caress her baby bump, and eventually, the gentle ministrations would eventually settle their daughter.

"I have tomorrow off from shooting, we could invite them over for lunch tomorrow, tell them together?" Quinn offered up as she stood from the couch to dump the empty cups in the bin and fix her hair, knowing that she would be called to set any moment. Rachel nodded her and pulled out her iPhone and sending off a text message, receiving replies almost immediately. "And done," Rachel said as she put her phone away. Easing herself off the couch she straightened out her clothes and began gathering up her belongings, intent on heading back to their spacious Penthouse suite and lounging around on the couch for the rest of the day.

Glancing around the trailer to make sure she had everything she brought, Rachel smiled. Whenever Quinn was filming a movie her trailer was always her sanctuary, the place she would escape to in order to relax or to get creative, either by writing on her Tumblr or reading a good book, and everything about the small living space reflected who the blonde was as a person. From the stack of books on the shelves next to the flat scree t.v, to the little sketch book lying on the work space next to the Mac laptop, and especially the pictures hanging up on cabinet doors of their friends and family and especially the double hinged silver photo frame that Quinn brought with her everywhere she went while working.

Inside were two pictures, one was the girls the day they had renewed their wedding vows, an exact copy of the picture that was in their Californian beach house, the other was a recent sonogram of their daughter where Quinn had written 'Baby Girl Fabray' at the bottom in black sharpie. Rachel had bought the frame as a gift one day to cheer up the blonde who was annoyed that she had to fly back to L.A to reshoot a scene that had already been completed. The diva knew her wife was just anxious about flying across country with the pregnancy half way through the second trimester, but Rachel reassured her and gifted her the picture frame which Quinn quickly got to work on finding the perfect pictures of her family.

"Is Puck still hanging out by the props trailer?" Quinn asked with a chuckle. No matter how responsible and grown up Puck got, he would still always have that childish, rebellious streak deep down that pretty much tarnished his entire high school career. Just as Rachel was about to reply a knock sounded on the door, "speak of the Devil," she said and Quinn smiled at Puck's punctuality, the guy refused to let either girl down in his duty to protect them and for that Quinn was forever grateful.

"Come in," Rachel hollered and the door opened to reveal Puck standing there with his aviators on as he sent a nod towards the girls in greeting. "You ready to go?" he directed at Rachel who nodded before picking up her oversized handbag and slinging it over her shoulder. Quinn and Rachel stepped toward each other and the blonde cupped her wife's face in the palm of her hands and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "I'll see you at home," Quinn whispered against the diva's lips before dropping a quick kiss on her forehead and walking out of the trailer with her.

As Quinn watched Rachel and Puck climb into the SUV she waved them off before a voice from behind made her blood run cold, "Looks like we're alone." Turning on her heel, Quinn came face to face with a physical nightmare she just couldn't seem to outrun. "What the hell are you doing here Shannon," Quinn seethed, staring the tall brunette down with her deathly HBIC glare. Shannon snorted at the blondes attempt to intimidate her, leaning with her back against the side of the trailer, her hands linked together in front of her.

"Oh you know, just working. Turns out the director, was in need of a new P.A, and since my last client didn't want me, here I am. You and I are going to be seeing a lot more of each other over the next couple of months. And I for one, can't wait," Shannon husked as she leaned in towards Quinn's ear to whisper the last sentence. Feeling her space being invaded by unwanted attention, Quinn took a step back away from Shannon's advances and turned her head away so that she was no longer looking the other girl in the eye. Shannon glanced over the blondes shoulder and saw the retreating the SUV heading towards the studio gates.

"You know, pregnancy really suits that wife of yours. It would be an _awful_ shame of anything were to happen to her or the baby." Before Shannon had the opportunity to say anything else, Quinn's blood hit boiling point and she snapped, lunging for the brunette and pinning her against the side of the trailer with her arm pressed against Shannon's chest, making it difficult for the bitch to move, as her other hand grabbed a fistful of chestnut hair and yanked it until Shannon released a shrill shriek.

"I swear to God if anything happens to Rachel or the baby at your hands I will kill with you my bare hands. Do you hear me, I will kill you," Quinn spat as a dark haired Latina came rushing over to stop her friend from doing something that could get her in serious trouble. Wrapping her arms around the former cheerleader's slim waist, Santana yanked her best friend away from Shannon and twirled her around so that her body was blocking both girls from getting at each other.

"Q calm down, calm, DOWN!" the Latina grunted as Quinn tried to push passed her to get at the other brunette who was smirking while fixing her hair. "She's not worth it. Just go do your job and get home to your wife." At the mention of her wife, Quinn began to settle down, reigning in her anger and instead focusing on the good things in her life to sate her anger. Looking into the dark eyes of her best friend, Quinn could see that mischievous glint that she was all too familiar with in High School. Nodding her head, Quinn squeezed Santana's _hand_ in silent thanks before glaring at Shannon and walking away.

Shannon laughed at the blondes retreating figure and as she was about to make her way back to do her job, she was forcibly slammed back against the trailer by a seething Latina who was in no mood for playing games. Santana had her pinned against the cool metal by the scruff of her neck and was so close to Shannon's face the girl could feel the angry heaving breaths that Santana was releasing. They were completely alone, everyone had returned to set, and for once in her life, Shannon was actually scared, but she wasn't going to show it, but Santana could smell the fear and she was determined to make sure that Shannon knew that she wasn't fooling her.

"Let me break something down for you Snixx style. Q and Rach, they're my family, and I don't like anybody gettin all up in my family's business. Q's been my best friend since we were little kids and Rachel is like a little sister to me so if you do anything to mess up their marriage or do anything that might cause anything to happen to that baby, Imma go _ALL_ Lima Heights! And bitch you better believe me when I say this, if you start something, I will personally end _it_ and your pitiful existence." Taking one look around Santana noticed they were alone, releasing her hold on Shannon she swiftly knocked the wind out of the girl with a sneaky blow to the stomach leaving her in breathless heap on the ground. Yes, Santana Lopez was not somebody to be messed with.

The next day, Quinn had all but put Shannon's existence to the back of her mind. She had rather reluctantly told Rachel about their encounter, because she never wanted to keep secrets from her wife, but she hated that she was having to lay all this on top of the diva when she was supposed to be focusing on the pregnancy. Rachel was obviously upset, she had figured once they arrived back in New York that they would have put the girl behind them, unfortunately not. However today they had some important business to attend to and both girls refused to let Shannon put a dampener on their day. Lunch with their baby's prospective godparents was a special occasion, they wanted it to be a happy on as well.

"Babe can you get the door please," Rachel called out from the kitchen area at the sound of the buzzer. Quinn placed the last of the kitchen wear on the table and smiled as she made her way to answer the door. Once she opened it, she was greeted by the happy, but curious looks of Santana and Puck who were glad to be having lunch with their friends, but confused about why it was just them two. Santana was even more curious when Brittany informed her that she had a last minute dance class to teach and wouldn't be able to go.

"Hey guys," Quinn beamed as she stepped aside to let her friends in. Santana and Puck stepped inside, the Latina depositing her handbag on the stand by the door before walking further into the place that was like a second home to her and Britt, and that literally was home to Puck since he lived in an apartment in the same building Rachel had helped him to rent. "Lunch is almost ready so take a seat in the living, Rach and I have something we wanna talk to you about," Quinn said as she made her way to the kitchen to retrieve her wife.

"Do you know what this is about?" Puck asked as he and Santana took a seat on the couch waiting for their friends to emerge and explain what was going on. The Latina shook her head in the universal sign of 'no' and fidgeted with her engagement ring glancing up when she spotted Rachel waddling towards them with Quinn following behind. "Hey guys," Rachel said in her usual upbeat tone of voice that left no secret that she was happy about something before she and Quinn sat down on the oak wood coffee table so that they were face to face with their friends, Quinn's arm wrapped around the diva's back.

"So obviously we called you hear for a reason so let's just get right to it before Rachel spontaneously combusts," Quinn joked, earning a dig in the rib's from her wife. Rachel then turned to face her friends, the smile still plastered on her face. "Okay so the reason we asked you for lunch today is because, well," she trailed off looking at her wife smiled encouragingly at her, "We wanted to know if you guys would be Godparents to our daughter?" Rachel asked, watching in amusement at the looks of shock and confusion on their friends faces.

"Wait, wait, wait, you want us to be Godparents? Seriously?" Santana asked glancing back and forth between her best friends. Both Quinn and Rachel nodded their heads and beamed when they saw Santana become momentarily speechless, "Oh my God, well, YES! Of course," the Latina squealed leaning forward and hugging both girls before pulling back and trying to subtly wipe a tear from her eye, cause, you know, she was a badass, and badass bitches don't cry. Puck still looked kind of confused. "Why me? Isn't Kurt like your fairy Godfather or whatever?" he asked. Rachel laughed a little before leaning into Quinn.

"Yes, Kurt is my best friend and he will play a big part in this baby's life. But Noah, you've been like a brother to me, and, I'd kind of like to think that you could help me raise the baby to understand her Jewish roots. I mean most of the people in her life are Catholic or at the very least are from some branch of the Christian church. I want her to know both and I know that with you looking out for her, she will," Rachel smiled at him as Quinn gently kissed Rachel on the temple. "And I've already explained it to Kurt and he's completely fine with it. He understands why I chose you and I promised he had dibs on the next kid."

With everything having been explained to him, Puck began to smile. Quinn and Rachel trusted _him_ to be there for their baby girl, for the first time in a very long time, he actually felt proud of himself and how far he had come. "Well in that case, I'd be honoured," he said as he stood up, helping Rachel to stand as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear. Rachel just smiled and held him tighter. "You're a great man Noah Puckerman, I know you'll be an amazing uncle," she said.

Quinn and Santana couldn't help but melt at the sight of the pair embracing only Rachel Berry could reduce Puck to a big soft teddy bear. Feeling the need to cut through the excess mushiness in the room Santana snorted bringing all on eyes on her. "With me and Puck as Godparents, that kid is gonna be one bad ass motherfu-," before she could finish her sentence Rachel raised her finger to her ,"Do not finish that sentence in the presence of my child. She can hear everything and I refuse to have raised around such profanity."

Quinn laughed at Santana Lopez having been reprimanded by the tiny brunette. "I take it back, with a mom like she's gonna be a pain in the ass prude," the Latina retorted. Rachel glared at her friend as Quinn stood up and wrapped her arms around her wife from behind. "Trust me Lopez, my darling wife is no prude, _especially_ in the bedroom," the blonde remarked earning grossed out looks from Puck and Santana and a slap on the arm from her wife. Yep, Charlotte Fabray was definitely going to have some very interesting and influential people in her life.

**So there we have it. I hope you liked it, please review I love hearing what you thought. And in answer to a question I've been getting, yes we will find out soon why exactly Shannon is so hell bent on tormenting Quinn, and it goes back further than the drama of McKinley High and it will result in both Santana and Quinn revisiting a part of their shared past they are not proud of. So stay tuned for that. Talk to you soon.**


	30. Chapter 27

**Okay here it is the next update. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed or added this story to their favourites or follows. I hope you enjoy this update. **

Heaven, beautiful, peaceful heaven. That was what Quinn was feeling in that moment as she lay on her side in bed, her wife in a deep slumber next to her as the diva's baby bump rested snugly against Quinn's front as Charlotte gave a soft kick to remind her parents that she was there. It was moments like this Quinn cherished, where she would watch over Rachel as she slept, memorising the diva's every curve, every imperfection, although Quinn claimed there were few, and just breathed in the scent that was uniquely her wife.

She would often rest her palm on the brunettes protruding stomach and rub soft soothing circles, enjoying the time she would share with her daughter as Charlotte made her presence known. Yes, these were the moments Quinn loved, where the whole world faded away and she was alone with her family, a place where she was just Quinn Fabray, wife and mother-to-be and not Quinn Fabray, international movie star. For those peaceful moments, it was almost like they were back in their apartment in New Haven, just living blissfully as a normal married couple.

Reaching her hand up, Quinn gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind Rachel's ear and then softly brushed the diva's bangs to the side before leaning in and placing a chaste kiss to her forehead, lingering in the connection momentarily. The last couple of days had been stressful on her wife and it was making Quinn worry more than usual. The diva had been knee deep in preparations for Charlotte's birth, trying to get the nursery organised, making sure that they had all the necessary baby essentials. It was one thing trying to get this done in one home, but Quinn and Rachel had two homes that needed to be kitted out and Rachel refused to hire someone to do it for them.

On top of that, Shannon had been making her presence known on the film set, the paparazzi had been going crazy trying to get money shots of Quinn, Rachel and the baby bump whenever they stepped out of their penthouse, and early in the week Leroy had called to inform them that Hiram had suffered a minor heart attack while at work. Leroy explained that he was fine and that specialists were placing him on a cardio fitness regime that would improve his health, but the incident had shaken the family and Quinn couldn't help thinking that this was the last thing they needed on top of everything else.

The closer they got to the due date the more anxious the blonde became, she couldn't help it, there was this nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that it could all go horribly wrong at the last hurdle. She was afraid she would wake up one morning to find that this had all been a dream, that her perfect family would be snatched away from her. But every morning Charlotte was there to give her a swift kick to remind her that this was in fact reality and every day Quinn became more determined than ever to make sure everything turned out okay.

With one more peck to Rachel's forehead, Quinn eased herself out of the bed, carefully placing the duvet up over her wife, before pulling on an old pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and making her way out of the bedroom and across the hall to the nursery. Looking around, Quinn smiled. Scattered around the room were pieces of furniture, bags with baby clothes from upscale baby boutiques, toys and learning focused items and of course the bookshelf that had yet to be hung up. This was Quinn's personal contribution to the nursery. She had even purchased stacks of books, from fairy tales, to nursery rhymes and books that made sounds or had material that you could touch.

One thing she and her wife agreed on was their daughter would be well versed in the arts, whether it was music or literature, dance or drawing, photography or writing, they wanted to make sure that Charlotte was aware of all the different ways of being creative or expressive. They even agreed that if their daughter wanted to pursue sports then that was fine too, although Rachel needed a little more persuading on that one, however an early gift from Puck soon made her see sense. The diva's surrogate big brother had presented the impending parents with a gift set of sports jerseys all with feminine touches and all from New York based teams.

Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Rangers, all cute little jerseys with pink incorporated into them. He even managed to get his hands on a baby Manchester United jersey since both Quinn and Rachel were still avid supporters. Looking at the small stack of sports shirts Quinn couldn't help but giggle at the idea of taking a family trip to Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Garden one day to see a game as they all proudly wore their individual shirts and caps. It was cheesy yes but she didn't care, she wanted pictures for her album.

Walking over to where she had laid down her paint brushes, Quinn tied back her hair from her face and got to work on finishing the mural she was painting on the far wall opposite the crib. When the couple discussed what way they wanted to paint the nursery they both stated they wanted soft soothing colours, no pink as they felt it was too cliché, yes their baby was a girl but that didn't mean she had to live like she was in a Barbie playhouse. They eventually decided on lilac with white borders and baby furniture. Quinn was painting a whimsical mural of woodland creatures and fairy tale character which was just about complete, so, while Rachel was sleeping she decided to finish it.

Two hours later, Rachel began to stir, gently stretching out her limbs as she reached across the bed to cuddle up to her wife, only her wife wasn't there. Cracking an eyelid open to peek over, she noticed that Quinn was in fact nowhere in sight. Pushing herself up in the bed, the diva glanced over at the clock and noted that it was 9:30, although nobody would blame her for sleeping in, Rachel just couldn't fathom the idea, feeling it was a sign of laziness, so with one final stretch, she eased herself off the bed and walked over the wardrobe, pulling on her fluffy nightgown.

After exiting the bedroom Rachel caught a whiff of fresh paint that stopped her in her tracks, her darling wife had been found. Pushing open the door to the nursery, Rachel stepped inside and gasped when she caught sight of the completed mural. Quinn was standing by the paint work station next to the window sorting out the paint brushes and turned when she heard the sound from behind her. She watched as Rachel walked over towards the wall and studied her facial expression, trying to gauge the diva's reactions. Walking over, she stood behind her wife she wrapped her arms around her and the baby bump and leaned her chin on the diva's shoulder.

"Well, what do you think?" Quinn asked as she gave the brunette in her arms a gentle squeeze. Rachel turned to face her wife and placed her hands on her wife's chest, tears glistening in her eyes. "Quinn it's beautiful," she replied as she reached up and kissed the blonde sweetly on the mouth. Quinn beamed, nothing made her happier than seeing the people she cared about most happy and this was one of those times. "Good, I'm glad. And just for you I added these," she said as she pointed towards the ceiling where she had painted the design of a night sky over the crib with a moon and little stars scattered about, including two more prominent one's. "Yes before you ask, those are our stars."

Rachel chuckled at her wife's adorableness and kissed her again before gazing around at the almost completed nursery. It was perfect. Quinn reached down her hand and laced her fingers with her wife's tugging her towards the door. "Come on, let's get you out of this room and away from these fumes. I'll make breakfast. Gotta keep my girls well nourished," she said as she stroked the divas stomach and kissed her on the cheek. As Quinn made her way into the bathroom to the shower Rachel stood by the edge of the bed and placed a hand on it to steady herself.

She had this niggling discomfort in her abdomen, but it seemed to disappear after a moment. Rubbing her stomach Rachel frowned, it was only a matter of time before tiredness from the last couple of days caught up to her. Everything with her father, Shannon and the press had been driving her stir crazy, not to mention the sore throat she had the previous week. That just added a whole other level of worry for the diva. It wasn't uncommon over the years whenever Rachel had a sore throat to instantly think of the worst case scenario. The previous week had been no different, but as per usual, the doctor had informed her it was nothing hot water with some lemon and honey couldn't cure.

"Babe, are you joining me?" Quinn called out from the shower, bursting through Rachel's haze of thoughts. "Coming," the diva called back as she stood up straight and made her way to the bathroom, undressing as she went. Once she was completely naked she climbed into the shower behind her wife and hugged her earning a smile from Quinn who moved forward so they were both under the spray of the hot water before turning around and engaging in the finely tuned joint shower routine she and Rachel had perfected over the years.

Breakfast had become one Quinn's culinary expertise over the years. The blonde never had much time to cook when both she and Rachel's workloads had been jam packed, they usually found themselves eating out most days and night, but when they did have time to cook, Rachel was usually in charge since she was by far the more skilled chef. Years of watching Master Chef had apparently ingrained itself in the diva's brain. However Quinn had taken to trying to cook as many homemade meals as she could since Rachel fell pregnant. It eased her mind to know that her wife was getting all the nutrients she needed.

Organic fruits, yoghurts, juices, herbal teas, wholemeal bread, vegan pancakes, Quinn went all out for breakfast. After all, it is the most important meal of the day. Sitting at the dining table the girls engaged in easy conversation. Rachel had called her father to see how he was doing chuckled when Quinn and Hiram had gotten into deep discussion about McKinley's chances of going to State. Once they had finished eating, Quinn leaned her arms on the table and smiled at Rachel after taking note of the beautiful New York weather .

"Hey, I was thinking," she said as she reached across and linked her hand with her wife's, "since I have the day off, and it's such a beautiful day out, why don't we go to the park, kick back, relax, maybe even stop off at the boutique on the way home so we can buy that cute baby learning mat with the music player that plays soothing music," she smirked. Rachel eyed her curiously wondering how in god's name she would have known about that since she was on set whenever Rachel went out browsing, until it clicked.

"Kurt's been dropping hints again hasn't he," she said, more of a statement than a question. Quinn grinned and nodded. "He means well. He just wants to make sure my wife and daughter have everything their little heart's desire. Which has been really helpful for me since you seem to be neglecting in your duty to discuss things like this with me," Quinn replied, eyeing her wife with a questioning look. Rachel shrugged and squeezed her wife's hand, sighing, "I know, I'm sorry, it's just, you've already given me and the baby so much, I just figured if I kept asking for things you'd think I was being overindulgent," she said.

Quinn frowned, she didn't mean to make Rachel feel bad, she was trying to encourage her to talk to her more about things concerning the baby. "Hey sweetie, look at me, if you want something for the baby tell me. I like buying things for the both of you because I like taking care of you both. You're letting this little one use your body as five star hotel, this is my way of contributing. If you want or need anything talk to me about it, I like being able to provide for my family," Quinn said with a smile. "And I don't think you're being overindulgent. You're just doing your best to make sure our little girl has everything she needs and I love you for it."

Rachel smiled, her wife's word instantly boosting her spirits. Looking at the clock she stood up and started gathering up plates. "I'll clean up. When don't you go get Arthur and get him ready, he could use a walk in the park." Quinn stood up and looked at her wife with a confused expression, "what about going to the boutique?" she asked as she stretched her arms. Rachel shrugged as she balanced a couple of plates and bowls in her hands. "It's okay, I know for a fact Santana has already purchased the mat as a baby gift along with a couple of other things from her and Britt."

Quinn looked at her wife with a knowing looking that said she knew her wife had been using her cunning mind to their advantage. "Babe, exactly how many people have you taken shopping to all these baby boutiques?" she asked. Rachel quirked her lips into a smile glancing back over her shoulder as she walked to the kitchen. "A few," she replied and Quinn couldn't help but laugh at how her wife's mind worked. "Only my wife could con Santana Lopez into buying gifts for the baby that she wants," the blonde said to Arthur who was sitting at her feet with his head tilted to the side as if he was really listening to what she was saying. "Come on boy, let's get you ready, we're going to the park."

When Quinn disappeared down the hall to retrieve Arthur's walking harness, Rachel set the plates down in the sink harder than she intended and clutched at the side of her stomach. A sharp pain in the underside of her abdomen causing her to wince before it dissipated like the last time and she felt fine again. Glancing down Rachel gazed at her stomach as her hand continued rubbing circles. The sooner this baby was born the better. The sound of footsteps coming back down the hall Rachel straightened up and wiped her hands in the towel by the sink and turned towards her wife, smiling, as she walked over to retrieve the light coat Quinn had picked up for her. Once she put it on and gathered her handbag, they left the apartment and headed for the park.

The one good thing about New York that many celebrities favoured about it, was the fact that the paparazzi were far more accommodating than the paparazzi in L.A. Sure they still wanted to get their pictures, but they did so at a respectable distance and rather by getting right up in people's faces. This suited Rachel and Quinn fine because it meant Puck didn't have to tag along on their strolls or little shopping trips and they could enjoy quality time together in the city that the diva had been in love with her whole life.

Sipping on the fruit smoothies Rachel had purchased at a nearby café, they girls strolled leisurely to the park, Rachel leaning into Quinn with her free arm wrapped around her waist, while the blonde held onto Arthur's lead and drank her smoothie. Glancing to the left as they stood at the pedestrian crossing, Quinn noticed that the two paps who had been following them were stowing away their cameras and were conversing, pointing towards a different street. Usually this indicated that they were finished and had been tipped off about other celebs in another location.

"Thank God for that," Quinn sighed as she watched them walk away. Rachel glanced up at her wife before following her line of vision and nodding her hand, understanding what was going on. Squeezing her wife's side to get her attention, she smiled up at Quinn and kissed her just as the light went green allowing them to cross. The blonde tossed her empty drink container in the trash can next to her and laced her hand with her wife's and they walked across the street and entered the park. Once they were a good distance away from any gates leading to the busy street, Quinn let Arthur off his leash and he instantly bolted for a tree to pee on.

"This is nice," Quinn said as she wrapped her arm around the diva and pulled her close, basking in the sunshine and the gentle breeze that was keeping them cool from the otherwise heavy heat. Rachel hummed in agreement as she rested her had back on the blonde's shoulder. "I really can't wait to bring Charlotte here. Just strolling through the park, having picnics laying under a tall tree reading stories. It's gonna be amazing," Quinn stated dreamily as she gazed off into the distance. She waited for her wife to respond to her but when no response was forthcoming she glanced down.

"Rach?" she said, watching as her wife clutched her stomach and breathed deeply. Quinn stopped in her tracks and placed her hand over wife's on her stomach. "Rach, what is it talk to me," she pleaded. Rachel pressed her head against her wife's chest as she struggled to breathe through the pain. This wasn't like the last time, this time it was just getting worse. "S-som-something's, something's wrong," Rachel stammered through haggard breaths and tears, as she squeezed the life out of her wife's arm that was holding her up for support.

Quinn's heart dropped as she gazed around to figure out what to do. Spotting a bench nearby she helped her wife as best she could and then eased her gently down onto it before turning and calling after Arthur who instantly turned and ran back to his 'mothers'. Bending down, Quinn attached him to his leash and then taking a knee, she gazed up at Rachel and gently stroked her cheek. "What do you wanna do? Do you want me to call an ambulance or can you make it to a cab?" Quinn asked, trying not to let the panic show in her voice. Rachel just about managed to say cab, but she was determined to make it to one. She didn't want to draw any more attention to them.

Standing up, Quinn placed her arms around her wife and eased her to her feet while Arthur was securely gripped in her hand. Luckily they hadn't made it too far from the entrance so once they hit the pavement Quinn expertly hailed a cab and shoved a handful of hundred dollar notes into his hand to get them to a hospital as fast as he could and not to say anything about the dog. Seeing the steely gaze in the blonde's eye he quickly complied and they were on their way. While on the way Quinn took the opportunity to call Santana. She needed someone with a cool head right now.

"S, it's me, we're on our way to the hospital something's up with Rach or the baby, we're not sure yet. Can you meet us there?" she asked. "Yeah Lennox Hill" she replied when she noticed what direction they were heading in. Luckily Santana was close by, so she would more than likely be waiting for them once they arrived. "Thanks S," she said before hanging and turning to her wife and pulling her towards her trying to offer comfort. It wasn't long after that the cab pulled up outside the hospital and Santana was pacing back and forth in a black dress suit and white button down blouse having just practically run from her office.

"Oh thank God, Rach are you okay?" Santana asked as she helped Quinn get her out of the cab. Rachel released a sob and shook her head, clinging to Quinn as they made it to the door and were met by a hoard of nurses who saw their distress. Santana was handed off Arthur and left standing in the reception area as her two best friends were whisked off to see a doctor. This was not how she expected her day to turn out.

Two hours later, Rachel was lying on a bed, feeling much better. Quinn was sat beside her with her head in her hands, instantly looking up when the doctor finally returned with the test results. Reaching over she gripped the diva's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Okay, everything looks fine right not. The cramping was brought on due to the baby being in distress. Rachel your blood pressure is pretty high, this is something we're concerned about. If we can't bring it down before the birth you may have to undergo a c section," the doctor stated in all seriousness.

Rachel looked to Quinn with the same pained expression, the stress from the last couple of weeks was clearly harder on Rachel than they thought. The doctor closed over the file and put away his pen and placed a hand on the end of the bed. "You're free to go home, but I strongly suggest bed rest until the end of the pregnancy," he said before saying goodbye and leaving the room. Quinn turned to Rachel and saw the tear falling down her cheek. Standing up she leaned over and kissed her wife on the forehead and nuzzling her hair, Quinn could feel herself giving in to the stress and she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on without stumbling under the strain.

After informing Santana and Rachel's dads about what was going on, and calling both their agents to handle the possible press surrounding their emergency dash, they finally managed to make it home. Quinn had been silent the whole way home and it was unsettling Rachel, she wanted to know what was going through her wife's head so she could help her. Once Quinn her settled herself on the couch in the living room Rachel went and sat next to her. The blonde leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees and linking her hands leaning her chin on them as she stared off into the distance. Rachel was about to say something, when finally Quinn spoke for the first time in what felt like days.

"I think we should go back to Lima until the birth," she said so quietly that Rachel almost had to strain to hear it. When the words finally registered, Rachel gasped, "What?! Why?" she asked. Quinn turned her head and looked at her with a look questioning if she was being serious. "Are you kidding me right now? Rach we just got back from the hospital. A couple of hours ago you were doubled over in pain begging me for help. That's NOT okay!" Quinn shouted. "You need to get away from all this, from the press, Shannon. We can't do that here or in L.A. You need to take care of you and the baby and if we go home we can do that," Quinn reasoned.

"But Quinn….," before Rachel could finish her sentence her wife stood up abruptly from the couch startling the diva. "NO! No buts. I can't do this anymore Rachel. I can't keep worrying every single day about you and the baby. I just, I can't do it anymore. I can't keep trying to hold it together every time we go to the doctor's office for a check-up, wondering if Charlotte's okay, if you're okay. I can't keep wondering if Shannon has done or said anything to you when you're on set. I can't keep trying not to panic every time you walk out the door, afraid that something will happen when I'm not there," Quinn was crying at this point, and Rachel was holding back her own tears as she watched her finally break.

"I've spent the last 7 years since you went into remission praying that you nothing like that would ever happen again, that you would be okay because I _can't _lose you Rachel. You and Charlotte are everything to me and I need you to do this for me because I need you to be okay, I need you both to be okay," Quinn pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she fell to her knees in front of her wife and rested her hands on the diva's thighs. Rachel gazed into those broken hazel eyes and she could see the pain and anguish staring back at her and she wanted nothing more than to make it go away.

"Okay. We'll go back to Lima," she said nodding her head as she cupped Quinn's face in the palm of her hand, her wife leaning into the touch and placing a kiss on the brunettes hand before leaning down and kissing her on her stomach and then burying her head in her lap and hugging her legs while Rachel rand her fingers through the short blonde hair. "Thank you," Quinn said as she finally looked up and cupped Rachel's face in her hands pulling her in for a kiss that said everything she couldn't say in that moment.

**So there we have it. The Fabray's are heading back to Lima. Which means the return of the Berry men, the return of some of the old gang (and possibly a small addition of the newbies) and of course there may be an overdue trip to the McKinley choir room. The birth isn't far off so the new arrival will make her appearance soon. Hopefully things will go well for Rachel, Quinn and the baby. And I may include in the next chapter an explanation for Shannon's actions.**

**Anyways hope you like this chapter. Not sure when the next will be up, my 2****nd**** semester of college is starting so I'll be pretty tied up for the first couple of weeks until I get into a routine. Until then leave a review and I'll talk to you soon **


	31. Chapter 28

**Okay so I know I said I couldn't update for a while, but I had a little idea so I typed this up. Not a lot happens in this chapter, it's mainly just a filler before the next chapter, but be warned it is a little emotional because you'll finally get to hear Quinn unleash all the emotions she had bottled up over the course of the story to Rachel. So please enjoy. And once again thank you for all the reviews, really I was overwhelmed with the response. I really appreciate all the people who take the time to respond and tell me what they thought so thanks again.**

_2 Weeks Later…. Lima, Ohio_

Quinn groaned and raised her arm up to cover her eyes from the light that was streaming through the gap in the curtains, her brain beginning to ease itself into consciousness. Slowly, she opened her eyes and glanced around the familiar bedroom that was such an important part of her adolescent years. Everything was exactly the same, from the furniture to the Broadway posters hanging on the walls. It felt like she had jumped into a DeLorean and travelled back in time to High School. It was slightly unnerving, yet oddly comforting at the same time.

Turning to her side Quinn blanched when she realised she had woken up alone. Glancing around the room, she peered through the crack in the door of the en suite, the reflection in the mirror indicated that the bathroom was empty. Rubbing her brow in frustration, Quinn sat up and swung her legs out over the edge of the bed, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. Rachel had been off with her since Quinn had made the decision for the family to go back to Lima. She figured once her wife settled into the idea that everything would be fine, but even though Rachel had agreed to go, she was acting like Quinn had told her that her pitch needed a little work.

The blonde was thoroughly confused but in the end she put it down to baby hormones and the fact that they were both back in the town they had wanted so badly to escape from all those years ago. The urge to seek out her wife and check on her to make sure she was okay finally gave Quinn the motivation to push herself off the bed and start her day. The girls had boarded a private chartered jet to fly them back to Lima in the small hours of the morning to avoid being spotted and tipping off the press to their location. Needless to say Quinn was still a little tired so she couldn't fathom how her heavily pregnant wife was able to make it out of bed.

After going about her morning ritual of showering, moisturising and dressing for the day, Quinn made her way down stairs where she was greeted by Hiram and Leroy who was making up some breakfast. Walking over to the taller man she hugged him tightly before releasing him and taking a seat at the kitchen island. "You have no idea how good it is to see you back on your feet again," she said to the man she had grown to think of as her own father. Leroy acknowledged that statement by raising his coffee mug, making both Hiram and Quinn laugh.

"Hey, did Rach come downstairs already? She wasn't in bed when I woke up," Quinn said as she took a bite out of her toast and sipped on her coffee. Hiram exchanged a glance with his husband before Leroy return to reading his paper. "Our darling daughter left after breakfast to go for a walk, said she needed to clear her head. Your guess is as good as mine as to where she could have went," Hiram said with a shrug of his shoulders. Quinn sighed, feeling even more frustrated than she had been when she woke up. The last thing she needed to hear was that her heavily pregnant, celebrity wife was walking around their hometown by herself, with no Puck and no other form of security to keep an eye on her, and then it clicked why her wife felt safe going out on her own.

"I think I know exactly where my wife is," she said as she drained the last of her coffee and went to retrieve her light denim jacket to go over her knee length white sundress. She had completed her casual look with a chunky belt around her middle and some strappy sandals. After fixing the collar of her jacket, and grabbing her handbag, she returned to the kitchen and grabbed the keys of the SUV her PA had organised. "I'll be back later, you guys need me to pick anything up on the way home?" she asked as she stood in the archway of the door.

"No thanks sweetie, but if we think of anything while you're still out we'll call you," Leroy smiled. Quinn nodded her head and exited the house, climbing into the black Cadillac Escalade and driving down the street and indicating at the stop sign, destination, McKinley High. It had been a very long time since the girls had stopped foot in the school. Sure they'd been to Lima, but with their ever growing celebrity, they just didn't want to deal with the hysteria that would entail. So they stuck to visiting old friends and teachers at their homes instead. It was just easier that way. But Rachel was unhappy, Quinn didn't know why, but she knew the one place her wife would go to if she wanted to clear her head and think.

It didn't take long before Quinn was pulling into the school parking lot and parking in an empty space. It was only a little after ten, she knew everyone would be in class so she didn't have to worry about being spotted. Gathering her handbag she climbed out of the SUV and locked the doors making her into the school through one of the side doors that she often used when she was a student because it was closer to her old locker. Once she stepped into the hallways she was immediately transported back in time.

Everything looked exactly the same, even the smell, the mixture of the heavily scented perfume of the Cheerio's, the mid-morning sweat of the jocks after a heavy football training session with Coach Beiste, even the smell of sex from students having quickies in the janitors closet, it was like Quinn never left. Making her way down the hall, Quinn smiled when she passed by Rachel's old locker, memories of all the times she had waited for her in that particular spot in the morning, or broken into it so she could hide little notes and gifts just so she would see that smile that made her go crazy.

Eventually, she made it to the place she had been seeking out, the auditorium, and as she entered through the door she instantly spotted her wife, sitting centre stage at the grand piano, one hand cradling her stomach, the other softly tapping the ivory keys to create some simple melody. Quietly walking down the steps, Quinn kept her eyes on her wife, noticing that the brunette was so deep in thought she hadn't notice her coming in. Once she reached the floor seats near the stage she decided to make her presence known.

"I hope you don't make a habit out of sneaking out of bed early in the morning," Quinn said as she climbed the steps to the stage as Rachel finally noticed her and turned on the piano bench to face her. "You know I don't like waking up without my cuddle buddy," she finished with a quirk of her lips trying to make light of the situation. The remark earned her a smile and a little giggle from the diva who was now gazing down at her stomach as her hands rubbed soothing circular patterns before gazing back up at the blonde.

"Yeah well, you're not the only. Apparently Charlotte doesn't like it too much either," Rachel said through a smile as her daughter delivered a kick as if to agree. Quinn smiled and slowly made her way, almost as if afraid that if she moved to fast, Rachel would pull away from her, but once she realised her wife wasn't giving her the cold shoulder, she eased herself down onto the piano bench and gently placed a hand over her diva's stomach and felt the flutter of her daughters kick, a grin breaking out on her face as if it was the most miraculous thing ever. Because to Quinn, it was, and nothing would ever compete with what that sensation made her feel, at least not until the day she holds her daughter in her arms for the first time.

After another brief moment Quinn turned her attention to Rachel, who was still gazing at her stomach. "What's going on Rach? Why are you mad at me? What have I done? Is it because we're in Lima, what?" Quinn asked dipped her head to get her wife to look her in the eye. Rachel lifted her head, her eyes screwed shut, brow furrowed as she shook her head. "No, no, this has nothing to do with coming back to Lima and I'm not _mad_ at you," she replied earning s confused look from Quinn who leaned even closer and rested her arm across the hard top of the piano behind her wife's back.

"Then what is it? Tell me because I can't deal with this, this distance you're putting between us," Quinn sighed, her shoulders dropping as she stared at Rachel with a look of hopelessness. The diva licked her lips and rubbed her brow as she focused her thoughts. She needed to be honest if they were to get past whatever this was. "I'm not mad at you okay, I'm not. I'm just, you've kept these feelings and, and these worry's you've had bottled up for the last seven years, and I, I feel like there's been this part of you that you've hid from me for so long and, I just, I don't know why," Rachel stammered, her breathing hitching as she tears threatened to fall.

"When you broke down in in our living you, it was like you unlocked this, deep well, of emotions that you've been hiding from. We're married Quinn, we're a couple, we're supposed to be able to share these things so that we can be there to support each other and I feel like I've been cheated out of doing that and I want to know why?" she finished. Quinn swallowed around the lump in her throat. Throughout the years there had been many moments where Quinn had been tasked with being strong for the both of them, especially with Rachel's cancer, and the struggles with IVF and the miscarriage.

The diva had endured so much physically, mentally and emotionally, Quinn figured the least she could do was be the strong one, so that she could help Rachel stay afloat, so that she wouldn't drown under the weight of the struggles she'd been forced to overcome. Quinn thought she had been shielding her wife from having to deal with anything else, but after hearing what Rachel had said, she realised, that the diva was right. She had been keeping a part of herself hidden for all these and she hated that, because she'd sworn to Rachel that she would always be open with her. Maybe she had been wrong to close off her emotions like that. Reaching over Quinn gripped Rachel's hand in her own and laced their fingers together.

"Okay, first of all I want you to know, I never, _never_, wanted to hide part of myself away like that. That was not my intention at all," she said with conviction, because she wanted her wife to know that she was being genuine. "I-I…" Quinn stumbled as her voice became thick with emotion as her mind began to formulate the words she needed to say to Rachel because it made remember things that caused her so much pain. But she needed to say them, needed Rachel to hear them, because she needed her wife to know how she felt during that time, so that Rachel could fix the pieces of her that had broken that she never managed to repair on her own. Sensing that this was indeed hard for Quinn to do, Rachel leaned closer and grabbed a hold of the blondes other hand, kissing both of them and squeezing them, encouraging her to continue.

"The day we found out you had cancer, I literally thought my whole world was going to cave in. I could feel it happening in that moment and I was terrified. When you started chemo and radiation, it took everything in me not to run away and hide because of the fact I couldn't bear seeing you so sick and in so much pain. The girl I was head over heels in love with was fighting this, this disease that claims so many lives, and I just, it scared the hell out of me, the thought of losing you," Quinn paused momentarily to steady her breathing and so she could try and stem the flow of tears, not once looking at Rachel because she knew if she did, she wouldn't be able to continue.

"The night of our wedding, when you collapsed, I literally thought, this is it. You were finally going to be taken away from me, the best thing in my life. You were lying there barely breathing and there was nothing I could do except wait for the paramedics. I was 18, barely 19 years old, holding my wife in my arms thinking I was never going to get to hold you again, and that felt like a knife straight through my heart, that just kept twisting and twisting, bleeding me dry. But even though I was thinking it, I refused to believe it, I refused to _not_ believe in you because I knew you wouldn't leave me." Rachel reached forward and wiped away a tear that had fallen down her wife's cheek.

"Yale was hard, we were on our own, but I knew that if I could keep anything like what happened at our wedding from happening again, that we would be fine. But then when we got the news about the chances of you getting pregnant, I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry so bad. But when you told me that you wanted to let me go so I could have a chance at a family, it was the most selfless thing anyone has ever done for me. And I couldn't cry, I couldn't bring myself to do it because I felt it would have been selfish of me to mourn your loss when I was still capable of having kids. I just didn't want to do that to you because I knew how much being able to bear a child meant to you," Quinn sighed shaking her head as she reached up a hand to stem the flow of tears running down her cheek.

Watching you go through IVF, and the toll it took on you, how draining it was, the procedures, the injections, there literally came a point where I just wanted to make you stop because I couldn't handle watching you going through that every day. I had spent the best part of two years watching you suffer through chemo and how tough it was on your body. IVF just brought it all back, that same feeling of wanting to make everything better, to make it okay and but nothing you do seems good enough," clenching her jaw, Quinn remembered the anger she felt about it, about the unfairness of it all as Rachel sat quietly, absorbing everything her wife had to say as her own tears fell.

"When you finally fell pregnant, it was like this overwhelming feeling of joy. Finally things were going our way, we were having a baby, we were going to be a family, like a real family, ye know. It's everything I've ever wanted my whole life. Growing up in the home that I grew up in, I never had that, but I promised myself that if I ever got the chance to be a parent, that I would do it right, and when you got pregnant that first time, that felt like my chance. And then it was taken away from us," Quinn hiccupped as the pain the miscarriage caused came flooding back. Just when she felt like she was going to drift away in the in the overwhelming flood of emotions pulling their way to the surface, she felt her hand being squeezed and she looked up, to find the warm loving gaze of her wife's brown eyes calling her back, like and anchor keeping her in place. Turning to fully to face her wife Quinn ran her fingers through that silky brown hair, before trailing her hand down her wife's soft tanned cheek, just needing to touch her, to feel her.

"There have been so many moments over the years when I thought that I was going to lose you, that I would lose my chance of ever having the perfect family. That's why I've been holding you so close, protecting you, even from my own pain. The thought of losing you, or Charlotte, it causes me more pain than anything else ever could. I'm sorry if keeping this from you has hurt you but I just wanted to make things easier for you, so you could heal from everything else you've been through, I'm just, I'm sorry Rach," Quinn cried as she lowered her head allowing her tears to consume her.

After hearing everything Quinn had to say, and hearing her wife apologise to her, Rachel realised now was her moment to step up, to offer Quinn the support she had been denied the right to in the past. Reaching out her hands she cupped her wife's face in her hands and forced her to look at her. "Quinn, listen to me, you have _nothing_ to be sorry for okay. Yes I'm disappointed that you kept this from me, but I understand why you did it and you know what, it only makes me love you more. But I need you to know understand something," she said as Quinn wiped away her tears and nodded her head indicating for Rachel to continue, "You are my wife, it's my job comfort you when you're in pain, to there to listen and to hold you when you need it. No matter what's going on with me, or what I'm going through, you are important to me. I want to know when you're in pain because I want to be the one to make it go away," she sighed.

"Yes I've been through a lot, but Quinn you've been through it too. Just because you weren't going through it physically doesn't mean what you were feeling was any less to what I was feeling. Quinn you are the strongest person I know, you are the reason I survived cancer, and why Charlotte's here now. If it wasn't for the support you've given me and the belief you have in me, I never would have made it this far. It's all because of you. Charlotte and I," Rachel said as she placed a hand on her stomach, "we need you just as much as you need us. So from now on you don't hide how you're feeling from me okay. You come to me and you talk to me because I _can't_ watch you break like that again."

Quinn gazed into those brown eyes, awestruck at what her wife had said. She felt like such a fool for having kept this from Rachel, but at the same time she felt so much love and care in the words that washed over her. Just hearing that Rachel and Charlotte needed her, it bowled her over. She was never going to keep anything from Rachel again. Leaning her forehead against her wife's she basked in the closeness for a moment before bringing their lips together in a soft tender kiss before Quinn pulled away enough to whisper three words, "I love you," and Rachel smiled. "We love you too."

**Quite emotional I know, but I felt it was about time the girls cleared the air of all past feelings. So I hope you liked it and I'll talk to you soon.**


	32. Chapter 29

**Here it is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy and thanks again for the reviews to the previous chapter and for responding to my request. Anyways hope you enjoy this chapter.**

It was officially August and Rachel's due date was a week away. The girls had spent the entire summer in Lima without the pressure of the press hounding them and even spent some time with Will, Emma and their twin boys Logan and Max. The experience made Quinn slightly grateful they were only having the one baby. The boys were a little over exuberant for her liking. However being around the kids made the blonde excited for the arrival of her own little one, and although she was eagerly counting down the days, she was also on high alert constantly.

Every time her wife had a twinge or a little cramp, the poor girl was running around like a headless chicken grabbing their bags so they could dash to the hospital, often jumping in the car and sitting in the driveway ready to leave before realising her wife was still on the couch in the living room. Those little manic episodes always made Rachel laugh but at the same time, she loved how attentive Quinn was being. It made her feel a little calmer knowing that the blonde would do everything in her power to make sure everything would turn out okay.

After the tough times the couple had been through, that Rachel had been through up to that point in time, had made the diva anxious about the prospect of finally giving birth. It terrified her to think that something could go wrong during the delivery, or even after. They'd waited so long to get to this point in the pregnancy that she just wanted to bring 'Charlie', as Quinn had already affectionately started calling her, into the world and hold her for the first time. Once she did that, she was sure things would be fine.

The girls were currently sitting in the doctor's office of a private clinic, waiting for news on whether or not Rachel's blood pressure had returned to normal. Of course they had gone through the routine blood tests and scans like they had been doing for the entire duration of the pregnancy to make sure everything else was still okay, and after all was confirmed to be fine, the doctor had started on the blood pressure test and was waiting for the results to show on the monitor. The girls were talking quietly amongst themselves when a beeping sound pulled them from their conversation.

"Okay, well according to these results, your blood pressure is still elevated. Which means that a natural birth is not an option, we're looking at performing a c-section," Dr. Ross said as she looked at both Rachel and Quinn who exchanged an understanding glance. "We kind of prepared ourselves for that outcome," Rachel replied as she shrugged her shoulders. Quinn nodded her head before turning to face Dr. Ross. "A c-section is completely safe right, for Rachel and the baby?" Quinn asked needing to feel reassured. A c-section may be a regular way of having a baby these days but it was still a surgical procedure, things could go wrong in the moment.

"In Rachel's position, a c-section is the safest option to deliver the baby without complication. With Rachel's blood pressure so high, we need her to be as relaxed as possible, a natural birth would be far too stressful on her body and could send her into cardiac arrest. With a c-section, we can monitor comfort levels, and react as quickly and as effectively as possible _if_ anything were to happen unexpectedly," Dr. Ross explained, although she didn't miss the pained expression that crossed both girls faces.

"Look, I understand that this is a scary concept to wrap your heads around, but I assure you, we are taking every precaution to ensure that both you and your baby are healthy and safe. If we thought there was any danger or risk, we would be discussing other options right now." Rachel nodded her head and sighed. In the back of her mind, she knew that Dr. Ross was right, but the idea of being sliced open didn't really do anything to ease her anxiety. Quinn noticed her wife's stiffened posture and wrapped her arm around the diva's shoulders hugging her close.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. I'll be in there with you holding your hand every step of the way, I promise," she whispered as she placed a gentle kiss against the diva's forehead. Rachel smiled at Quinn, revelling in the comfort she provided for a moment before turning back to the doctor. "So, how exactly is this going to work?" she asked needing to know the details. The doctor gave Rachel a gentle smile before standing from the wheelie stool and taking a seat behind her desk, while Quinn helped Rachel to get down from the exam table and fix her shirt.

"Well, since your due date is next week and the baby isn't in any distress, we're gonna wait it out until then. If you don't go before or on your due date, we'll look into inducing labour if you go over by more than two or three days. With your blood pressure that elevated, we don't want to take any unnecessary risks." Dr. Ross wrote some notes in Rachel's file before standing up and walking over to the couple. "If you have any questions or worries over the next week please feel free to call my office any time," she smiled as she reached out and shook Rachel and Quinn's hands.

"Thank you doctor," they both replied in unison. After putting her coat on, Rachel stepped out of the office followed closely by Quinn. They made their through the waiting room, giving friendly waves to some people who recognised them and kept moving towards the exit. Across the street, Puck was leaning against the side of the rental SUV reading a newspaper, and once he noticed the girls making their way across the street he opened the door to let them climb in and then jumped into the driver's seat.

"Where to ladies?" he asked as he put the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. Glancing at her watch, Rachel checked the time, it was almost 10:30 in the morning and they needed to be at the school by 11:00. After their little heart to heart in the school auditorium, the girls had bumped into a somewhat disgruntled Mr. Shue. The Glee Club had been suffering lately after a string of competition losses and in-fighting amongst the club members. Rachel had claimed they just needed something to motivate them, to focus them, and it was those words that gave Mr. Shue the idea to reunite his most successful Glee Club members to talk to his new protégés.

Quinn was reluctant at first to agree, fame having made her even more protective of her privacy however Glee Club was responsible for where she was now. If it hadn't been for Glee Quinn would never would have made the friends that she'd made during her time at McKinley, she never would have discovered her love of performing, and most importantly, she never would have fallen so hopelessly in love with Rachel. She owed the Glee Club a great deal of gratitude, showing up to speak to a couple of kids was the least she could do.

Mr. Shue was opening the school and the choir room especially for the occasion and had informed his club members to show up under the false pretence of "pre-school semester rehearsals". All the old gang were meeting up there and everyone was excited to be getting back together in the choir room. No matter where they went or what they did, that room always managed to make them feel like their old high school selves. Some of the former members wouldn't be there, Artie was till overseas, Sugar was currently in Ireland with Rory visiting his family and Joe was on a religious retreat teaching middle school kids the importance of music in their lives. It was something he did every year so he regretfully declined Will's invitation.

However they still had the majority of the group and with Rachel and Quinn in attendance, it was bound to make the current crop of New Directioners stand to attention. When Puck finally pulled the car into the school parking lot, Quinn could see Santana, Brittany, Mike, Tina, Blaine, Kurt, Mercedes and Sam all standing by the Latina's Lexus rental clearly joking around about the old days. Sam was even doing his trade mark Sean Connery impression. Opening the door Quinn climbed out and waved at the group before turning around to offer a hand to Rachel to help her jump down out of the car. Once her wife was safely on the ground, she closed the door and together with Puck, they made their way over to the others to reacquaint themselves with their friends.

"I should have known that nothing would keep you away from Glee club, even if you are literally at your due date," Santana remarked, smiling at the couple from behind her Gucci sunglasses. Kurt chuckled, "She's probably hoping her water breaks so she can top her last diva storm out," he said in a joking manner. Rachel glared at him playfully while Quinn just looked like she was getting ready to dial an ambulance just to have on standby at the mere thought of it. "Oh ha ha. That's right laugh it up, you're all joking now but I guarantee every one of you will be sitting in that waiting room arguing over who gets dibs on holding her first." Everyone laughed, because really, they knew it was true.

"Alright, alright, enough with the sap fest and trips down memory lane, let's get this show on the road so we can get on with the rest of our lives already," Santana said as she straightened out her clothes and walked towards the school doors, everyone following like a flock of sheep.

Walking down the corridor towards the choir room, they could already hear Mr. Shue talking about the importance of team work and camaraderie, and just as the first wave of back chat and snide remarks started to fly around the room, the old gang took it as their cue to make their entrance, Santana and Brittany taking the lead while Rachel and Quinn stayed to the rear, knowing their presence was going to have the biggest impact. As they got closer to the room, the heard the voices of the young teens begin to die down as curiosity got the better of them before they heard Mr. Shue speaking again.

"Guys I want you all to me some pretty spectacular people. These guys are members of the first Glee Club I put together, now you probably don't recognise them but you may recognise these two former members," he trailed off just as Quinn walked in holding Rachel's hand in her own as the pregnant diva protected herself from the onslaught of rushing teens by shielding herself slightly behind her back. It was a little overwhelming at first having twelve young teens flocking around them but Finn, Puck and Mr. Shue quickly ushered them back to their seats as Mike pulled up a chair for Rachel to sit on.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I'm actually meeting Hollywood royalty. You guys are amazing," one girl said from her seat in the front row. "Can I get your autographs?" "Can I get a picture?" "Will you follow me on Twitter?" "Is this real or have I died on gone to have?" "Who knew Mr. Shue actually knew cool people." The questions and statements just kept flying around the room and Santana smirked when she noticed two Cherrio's sitting in the back row scowling at the fact that the attention had been taken off of them. '_Some things never change_' she thought.

"Okay guys, standing before you are the most successful Glee club McKinley has ever had, but not only that, they are also the most successful people a glee has ever produced in any high school across the country," Mr. Shue proclaimed with exaggerated hand gestures thrown in for good measure. "Now obviously you're all aware of who Rachel and Quinn are," he continued only to be cut off by cheering from the glee kids, "but the rest of these guys are also successful in their own respective careers and they all started out right here in glee club, which is why I have asked them to come here today. I want you guys to realise that there is more to life than just high school and that glee isn't just something for you to put down on your college application as an extra-curricular, it can help you achieve so much more," he said in a wistful manner as he remembered all the good things that happened to his former members during their time in glee. Finn stood up and looked at the club who he helped co-mentor.

"Each of these guys are awesome and I'm proud to say, friends of mine, and they're going to share with you some of the pretty cool things that they experienced from being in glee and then when we're done, hopefully you guys will realise how special it really is," Finn said with his trademark lopsided grin. Standing back, Santana took the lead and glanced at every single one of the glee clubbers, sizing them up. One of the Cheerio's was giving her evil eyes and Santana returned her own frosty glare firmly putting the girl back in her place. Yep, she still had it.

"I'm not gonna lie I used to think glee club sucked. I mean who would wanna spend all their free time in a room full of losers that you don't get any extra credit for. But let me break it down for you, these _losers_," Santana gestured at her fellow veterans, "taught me more about myself, than any other stupid, pointless class I had to take at this damn school. I was a repressed bitch, I was miserable and I treated these guys like trash, but no matter how far I pushed them, or what dumb shit I did, they always had my back. And if you guys would give each other a chance you'd realise that this club, and the people sitting next to you can be pretty awesome," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Glee club helped me accept myself and supported me when I finally did," she explained as she linked her hand with Brittany's and they exchanged sweet smiles before she stepped back giving way for somebody else to take the lead and Puck was the one to take over. "Okay losers, you guys may think you're a bunch of badasses but you're not. Out there," he gestured his finger out the door, "nobody gives a crap about who you were in high school or how many chicks you banged, truth is they won't give you the time of day unless of you done something meaningful with your life," he stated.

"If I hadn't joined glee club, I never would have graduated, I never would have made actual friends, and you know what, I'd probably be in jail right living up to my no good for nothing reputation. But Mr. Shue believed in me, these guys believed in me and they helped me change. I spent three years singing crappy songs I hated, but you know what, that made me more of a man than the number of chicks I screwed and the number of liquor stores I jacked over. If you gave the club chance you might learn something too."

This continued on and on, through every member, from talking about hiding behind a stutter, to dealing with homophobic bullying, even finding out that a jock can play football and sing and dance at the same time. Everyone had an experience to share, a memory that made them laugh and a moment in their lives when glee club made an impact on their lives for the better. When they finally got down to Quinn and Rachel, Quinn went first as she laced her fingers with Rachel.

"I was a bitch in high school. You know this, you've read the interviews I've done where I've talked about my past and growing up in a strict Christian household. You'll know that I hated myself for the way I acted, I really did. But glee club changed me, in ways that I will be forever grateful," Quinn sighed as she gazed around the room at her follow vets and the newbies. "Glee club introduced me to my love of performing, that's why I'm doing what I do now and loving of every minute. It gave me lifelong friends, but most importantly, it brought me to Rachel and gave me the family I've always wanted," she said as gazed down at her wife, smiling at the glistening of tears in those beautiful brown eyes.

"That's what glee club is, a family, a dysfunctional one yes, but a family non-the less. Being a part of this club, it's more than just a hobby or an extra-curricular, it's an opportunity. An opportunity to do better, to be better and maybe, to figure out who you really are outside the confines of the high school hierarchy. I know it sounds cliché, but it's true, if you don't make the most of it I guarantee you, it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life," she finished as she made it a point to look every member in the eye. After a brief moment, she turned to her wife and offered out both hands to help her stand from the chair she was perched upon and once the brunette was standing, Quinn stood back watched on with the rest of the veteran members.

"I was the school loser. Literally, I mean I was the lowest of the low in high school. I was obnoxious, I was overly confident, I irritated the crap out of most people," Rachel raised her eyes to the heavens and it earned a laugh from her audience. "But underneath it all, I was just a girl who wanted to fit in, to feel like I was a part of something special. Because being a part of something special makes you special. And it did, more than I could have ever hoped for," Rachel shrugged her shoulders and smiled as the threat of tears began to build at the memories that were swirling around in her mind.

"Being a part of the glee club taught me that it's not all about winning, it's the journey and I faced the toughest journey of my life during my last year here," she said as everyone shared knowing glances about the hardships the diva had endured while battling cancer. "But I got through it, because of these people, right here," she gestured to her friends, giving them all a gracious smile, lingering on her wife for a moment before turning back to face the club members. "We won many trophies during our time here, but the thing I will be most grateful for, is the friends that I made, the people who I now look on as family. And I will be forever grateful for the fact that it was in this room that I met the woman who I will spend the rest of my life with. Glee club is special, but your time here is brief, make it count," Rachel stated and when she was done everyone applauded the veterans.

After their heartfelt words, the Gleeks, spent a couple of hours mentoring the new generation, talking them through competition and what it takes to succeed, and Quinn and Rachel even obliged in signing autographs and taking pictures and before they left, Rachel graciously accepted their request to sing for them, although she did do a group number in parting, just for old time's sake. After bidding farewell to the New Directions and organising to get together for a reunion dinner with Will, Emma, Coach Beiste and possibly Sue Sylvester, they all made their leave.

"Well that was fun. Although I didn't expect it to be so emotional," Tina said as she wiped away a tear. Kurt laughed handing her a tissue, "It wouldn't have been a glee club gathering if you didn't cry at least once," he teased as Blaine nudged him with his elbow. Santana, who had been on her cell phone disconnected the call and turned to Quinn who had been talking with Mike, "Ben called, his flight just landed, he said he should be here in about an hour," she said reiterating everything Ben had said. Quinn nodded her head and was about to respond when a panicked voice cut through her train of thought.

"QUINN!" Rachel shouted from the back of the group where she had been walking with Blaine and Mercedes. Without a moment to think, Quinn dashed towards her wife and gripped her by the upper arms. "What, what is it?" she managed through her terror. Rachel just about managed to grip onto her wife's forearms and look her in the eyes. "Quinn, my water broke," Rachel whispered as she tried to breathe through the pain. At those words, Quinn felt her heart rate hit a speed that she was sure could lead to a heart attack, or maybe this is what a panic attack felt like, So much for keeping a cool head.

"Wha… I… PUCK! GET THE DAMN CAR!" she shouted at the top of her voice, Santana trying to reframe from laughing at the sheer terror emanating from her best friend. Wrapping her arm around her wife's waist and gripping her hand with the other, Quinn ushered Rachel out of the school hallway and down the steps just in time to see Puck pulling up. "We'll follow you guys to the hospital and call Rachel's dads on the way," Mercedes called out as she stood next to Kurt and Blaine's car with Sam. Quinn thanked her before jumping into the car and Puck pulled off before being handed a phone which he looked at in confusion.

"Call Dr. Ross and tell her we're on the way to the hospital, her numbers in my contacts," Quinn ordered as she turned to face her panting wife, grasping her hand and squeezing it tight as she pushed sweaty bangs off the diva's forehead. "It's all gonna be okay Rach," she said as she kissed her wife on the temple, "We're finally gonna meet our daughter," she whispered with a beaming smile on her face. Rachel cried happy tears at the thought that soon they would be holding their little girl in their arms, all going well. As another contraction ripped through her body, Rachel leaned forehead and clamped down on the blonde's hand, earning a painful yelp from Quinn who immediately apologised for being so inconsiderate of her wife's on pain at that moment.

"If this is just what labour feels like I'm so glad I'm not having a natural birth right now," Rachel grunted through gritted teeth. Quinn nodded her head as she rubbed soothing circles on her wife's stomach, although she wasn't sure what difference that was going to make. "Puck can't you drive any faster?" Quinn yelled. Glancing in his rear view mirror, Puck frowned, "Do you want me to get there quickly or safely?" he questioned and when he saw the blonde grimace at what he had said he knew he had his answer although he wasn't prepared for Rachel's outburst.

"I don't care how get there, just get me to the fucking hospital so I can get this baby out of me!" she screamed making both Puck and her wife wince at the ear splitting noise. Before all hell could break loose, the SUV pulled up into the ER bay and Puck was out of the driver's seat in seconds to get help. Quinn placed soft kisses on Rachel's temple and whispered soothing words in her ear as the door was ripped open and a male nurse was picking Rachel up and placing her in a wheelchair, as Quinn shot out of the car and caught up to them, lacing her fingers with her wife's.

Upon entering the hospital Dr. Ross was standing there in her white coat and a pair of dark navy hospital scrubs. "It's okay Rachel, everything's going to be fine, we've got the OR prepped, as soon as you're ready we're going to take you down," Dr. Ross said when they entered a private suite as some nurses helped Rachel out of her clothes and into a regular hospital gown. Quinn was quickly handed off a pair of scrubs and a surgical hair cap and told to change. "As soon as you're ready Nurse Jackson here will bring you down to theatre," Dr. Ross explained and Quinn just nodded because she couldn't form any words, until she glance at the tear stained face of her wife and she jumped to action, making her way over to the bed.

"Hey, hey it's gonna be okay," Quinn soothed as she ran her fingers through long brown hair, "I love you so much and I'm gonna right behind you okay," she said looking into terrified brown eyes. Rachel nodded her head before cupping her wife's face in her hand and kissing her, deepening the kiss when Quinn cupped the back of her neck. "I love you too, hurry," Rachel said as the nurses began wheeling her out of the room. Without a second's hesitation, Quinn ran into the adjoining en-suite and changed into the scrubs she had been handed. After fixing her hair up into a bun and putting on the cap, she walked out into the corridor to find a nurse waiting for her and together they made their way down to theatre.

Once they entered through a set of double doors Quinn found herself standing in a room with sinks and towels obviously this was where the doctors scrubbed in. She could see the entire operating room through the big glass window and her eyes instantly landed on her wife whose stomach was lying exposed to everyone in the room as a nurse rubbed a brown looking substance, that looked quite similar to tanning lotion, over the area were the incision would be made. It left the blonde dumbstruck, knowing that a life would soon be coming out of there, a life that she would be completely responsible for. It both terrified and excited her in equal measures.

"Ms. Fabray, if you follow me this way I'll take you to your wife," the nurse said, breaking the blonde out of her silent musings. Nodding her head, she quickly fell into step next to the slightly shorter woman and walked into the theatre, swallowing around the lump in her throat when her eyes fell upon the surgical equipment that the doctor would be using. That was something she could have done without seeing. Moving forward she glanced around the sheet that had been hung up to block Rachel's view of the procedure and instantly plastered a reassuring smile on her face when she came face to face with brown eyes staring right at her.

"Hey baby," Quinn said as she grabbed a hold of Rachel's hand, the one which wasn't wrapped in IV lines to pump a relaxant into the diva's blood stream. A nurse wheeled a stool over for Quinn to sit on and she thanked her before turning her focus back to her wife. "Are you okay? Are you in any pain? Can you feel anything?" she asked as she brushed her fingers across her wife's cheek in a soothing manner. Rachel shook her head. "No. They gave me a spinal block when they brought me in. I can't feel any pain," she explained. Quinn smiled at that before leaning forward and placing a kiss on her wife's lips.

"Okay ladies, are you ready to meet your baby girl?" Dr. Ross asked as she stood with her two gloved hands hovering in the air, a surgical mask covering her mouth. Rachel nodded, "Let's do it," she replied, and once Dr. Ross went about starting the procedure, Rachel squeezed Quinn's hand and basked in the feeling of comfort she got when Quinn placed her free arm around her head and rested their foreheads together. "Can you feel anything?" Quinn asked trying to keep Rachel talking so the silence didn't feel so tense. The diva shook her head, "I can feel a little bit of sensation, but it's not pain, it's, I don't know how to describe it but it doesn't hurt."

"Alright ladies, we're almost there," Dr. Ross said as she handed off an instrument to a nurse and went back to work. Quinn watched as the doctor reached her hands inside her wife, and then turned back to Rachel sharing looks of anticipation. Just as they were getting lost in one another's eyes the sound of a baby's cry broke through their reverie and tears started to make their presence known. "Congratulations ladies, you have a beautiful baby girl," Dr. Ross proclaimed, as she held the little pink baby up so that both new parents get a glimpse.

"Oh my God," Rachel uttered through tears of joy, Quinn couldn't stop the tears from falling as she laid eyes on her daughter for the first time. "She's gorgeous," she managed through her tears, turning back to her wife and kissing her senseless, "You did so good baby," she said before pressing her lips against the diva's forehead. A nurse took the baby away to clean her off and check her over, as the new parents shed tears off complete happiness. Within minutes the nurse was walking towards them holding a pink bundle in her arms, when she was close enough she laid the baby down on Rachel's chest facing both parents.

"Hi Charlotte," Rachel hushed, trying to speak as quietly and as gently as possible, softly caressing her new born daughters full head of soft brown hair. Quinn reached forward and gasped when her daughter gripped her tiny hand around her thumb, just as Charlotte opened her eyes for the first time and Quinn was instantly smitten when she saw big brown expressive eyes staring up at her, identical to Rachel's. "Hi baby girl, you look just like you're mama," Quinn sighed, melting into those chocolate coloured irises. She finally had her mini Rachel.

"Okay ladies, we gonna finish up here and the nurses are going to take Charlotte down to get checked over," Dr Ross explained. Quinn nodded as a nurse came to whisk her daughter. Before she left, Quinn and Rachel kissed Charlotte on the forehead and watched as the nurse walked out. Turning her attention back to her wife leaned down and kissed her. "I love you so much," Quinn said as he wiped away both their tears. "I love you too," Rachel replied as she kissed Quinn's hand that was linked with her own.

A half an hour later, as Rachel was brought down to her suite to rest, Quinn tiredly stumbled into the waiting room to find all the glee clubbers, the Berry's, Will and Emma and Ben all sitting around waiting on news. Santana was the first to spot Quinn from her position pacing the floor and instantly dashed towards her, "Well?" the Latina asked. Quinn pulled off the surgical cap that was still resting on her head and looked down as tears began to form again, before looking back up. "We have a beautiful baby girl," Quinn said loud enough for everyone to hear. Santana practically jumped into Quinn's arms and hugged her close before releasing her for everyone else to have their turn.

"Rachel and the baby are both perfectly fine, they're both resting but Rach has made me promise to let everyone come see her and Charlotte as soon as they've had some sleep so if you want to wait around she should be up for visitors in a couple of hours," Quinn said before being engulfed in a massive hug by both Hiram and Leroy. "Congratulations baby girl," they said. Both feeling ecstatic at becoming first time grandparents. Ben was next to congratulate the blonde as he picked her up and twirled her around, "I'm so happy for you guys Q." Quinn smiled and thanked him as he set her back down.

"We thought you might want these," Hiram said as he stepped forward handing her the hospital back the girls had packed and a little gift bag Quinn had been set aside for this day. "Thanks Hiram," Quinn replied with a clearly relieved and grateful tone. "I'm gonna get back to my girls, I'll come get you guys later," she smiled walking towards the door. Before she could get any further Santana called out to her, "Hey Q, give Charlie a kiss from her aunties Tana and Britt," she said coyly, trying to hide the awkwardness she felt at being all mushy in front of other people. Quinn just chuckled briefly. "I will San," and with that she walked back down the corridor to her family.

Once she entered the private suite, Quinn gazed lovingly at her wife who was sound asleep, exhaustion having gotten the better of her. Walking over to the pull out couch where she would be sleeping for the next couple of nights, Quinn set down the bags by its side before quietly walking over to the basinet next to her wife's bed. Gazing down at her daughter, she was met with the beautiful sight of her baby girls brown eyes looking up at her in wonder making Quinn's heart soar. Reaching into the basinet, she carefully gather the tiny infant up into her arms and cradled her close to her chest, gently shifting the blanket around so that she could fully see her daughter's face.

"Hi baby girl, I'm your mommy," she smiled as she gently swayed the baby from side to side, as Charlotte gripped her mom's finger, "And you see that beautiful lady over there, that's your mama," she said as she gently raised her arm slightly so Charlotte could see where Rachel was. "You're lucky cause I know for a fact that she's gonna be the best mama in the whole world and she will take such good care of you and sing to you. And I'm gonna do everything I can to make you happy, and protect you and keep you safe because I love you so much," Quinn said as a tear slipped down her cheek, unaware that her 'sleeping' wife was listening to everything she said.

"You and your mama mean the absolute world to me and I'm always, always going to be there for you both. I promise you that. Whenever you need me I'll be right here," Quinn whispered as she gazed at her baby girl with a look of pure unadulterated love and adoration. "I love you Charlotte," she hushed against her daughter's forehead before placing a gentle kiss there and placing her back down in the basinet. Once she was sure Charlotte was settled, she walked over to retrieve the gift bag and pulled out the item inside. Making her way back to the basinet, she placed the teddy inside next to her daughter, a soft cuddly lion holding a gold star with Charlottes name sowed into the middle.

After one more glance at her daughter, who was already on her way back to dreamland, she turned towards the bed and sat on the edge next to her wife, gently stroking the diva's hair before leaning forward and kissing her softly on the forehead and then the cheek. "I love you so much Rae. Thank you for giving me our baby girl," she whispered before standing up and settling the blanket over wife and walking towards her makeshift bed, settling down for a couple of sleep as she basked in the feeling of joy, contentment and above love. Love for her wife, love for her daughter, love for her family.

**And there we have it. Baby Charlotte has finally arrived. What did you think? Please leave me some reviews I love to hear feedback. **

**Anyways hope liked it and talk to you again soon.**


	33. Chapter 30

**Okay so here we have some Faberry family bonding time, hope you all like it and again thank you all so much for all the reviews. I really appreciate the kind words. I hope you like this chapter and for anyway who wants a mental image of what I imagine Charlotte to look like, there's a link to the picture I based my own visualisation off of on my bio page since I can't post it in the actual chapter, anyways enjoy.**

Walking down the corridor of the hospital, Quinn held the warm cup coffee between her two hands and inhaled the sweet smell of caffeine. Apparently a couple hours of sleep on a pull out bed wasn't quite the best way to recharge the batteries, her back ached in places she wasn't sure it was possible to ache, but after waking up for the third time since settling down, the blonde decided to change into more comfortable close and grab a hot beverage while her wife and daughter were still sound asleep, grateful that Lima General had splashed out on a proper coffee dock rather than one of those cheap vending machines.

Passing by the reception desk, Quinn gave a friendly wave to the nurses who had approached her for an autograph earlier. It may have been unprofessional, but Quinn was happy to do it when she realised they had been the same nurses who had been in the operating room when Charlotte had been delivered. Continuing on down the corridor, Quinn rounded the corner and when she walked into Rachel's room, she smiled when she saw that her wife was wide awake gazing into the basinet next to the bed.

"Hey baby," Quinn said with a beaming smile as she set the coffee cup down on the bedside cabinet and sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward and capturing those luscious lips in her own and putting as much love and care into it as possible. When Quinn pulled away Rachel smiled back at her and reached for the blonde's hand, lacing their fingers together. "She's beautiful isn't she," Rachel said as she gazed back at her daughter who was now awake and glancing around at the world going on around her. Quinn turned her attention to her daughter and was again left in awe at the precious little girl who stole her heart the minute she laid eyes on her for the first time.

"Beautiful doesn't even come close to describing what I think of her. She's amazing," Quinn sighed as she turned her focus back to her wife and ran her fingers through dark chestnut locks, "Just like her Mama." Rachel blushed at the blonde's words and then they both returned to showering their baby girl with attention. Their little bubble was burst when a nurse walked in with a warm smile and a huge bouquet of stargazer lilies and gardenias, a huge stuffed soft fur teddy bear and a little Tiffany gift bag. "Delivery for Mrs. Rachel Fabray," she said as she placed the items on table at the end of the bed. Rachel looked to Quinn and was about to ask if she knew where they came from, but once she saw her wife's bashful gaze, she figured it out.

"Quinn," Rachel sighed, "You didn't have to do all this," Rachel said as she linked their fingers again and gave her wife's hand a loving squeeze. Quinn just shrugged her shoulders and glanced up at the little diva. "I know, but you deserve it. Little Miss Charlotte here will be showered in gifts and attention once everyone gets to see her, I figured you should get a little something as well." The nurse standing to the side checking Rachel's stats awed, and then went red with embarrassment once she realised that she had in fact said it out loud.

"So Rachel, how are you? Are you experiencing any pain or anything?" the nurse asked as she placed the pen back in the pocket of her scrubs. Rachel bit her lower lip and winced a bit as her attention returned to the slight throbbing in her lower abdomen. "Yeah a little, the pain relief they gave me after the c-section is starting to wear off," she said as she gently placed a hand on her stomach. The nurse nodded her head, "Is it a sharp pain or more just a discomfort?" she asked trying to gauge the diva was feeling and her comfort level. Rachel thought about it for a second so she could accurately describe what she was feeling.

"Um, it's more of a discomfort really, and a slight throbbing pain," she explained as Quinn gripped her wife's hand and started running soothing circled on the diva's shoulder to try and distract her mind from the pain in her stomach. Rachel smiled at Quinn's attempts before focusing back on the nurse who was pressing some buttons on the monitor to the drip Rachel was attached to. "Okay I'm gonna give you some pain relief, it should keep you comfortable for a little, but if you need any more don't hesitate to call one of the nurses," the nurse said with a smile.

"Now, how do you feel about giving breastfeeding a try? I'm sure Miss Charlotte must be feeling a little hungry after her big arrival" she said as she walked around the bed towards the basinet. Rachel began to shift in the bed, trying her best to push herself up into a sitting position. Noticing her wife's struggle, Quinn leaned forward and wrapped Rachel's arms around her neck before placing her hands on her wife's sides and gently hoisiting her up into a sitting position without causing her any hurt. Once the brunette was settled, Quinn fixed the pillows behind her before standing up to get out of the way for the nurse who was moving towards the bed with Charlotte in her arms.

"Okay so because of the c-section we're gonna have to do this a little differently," the nurse explained as she supported Charlotte with one hand and used the other to grab one of the extra pillows and placed next to Rachel's side under her arm. "So the pillow is going to support her weight and I'm going to lay her with her body resting snug under your arm so your hand can support her head and keep her in place. It's kind of like a football hold without the actual lifting and it's much more comfortable for you," the nurse stated as she placed Charlotte on the pillow, the little girls head close to Rachel's chest, as the new mom gently placed her hand under her baby girl's head for support.

Once both Rachel and Charlotte were settled, the nurse helped Rachel open the pyjama shirt she had been changed into after coming back down from theatre. After freeing her breast from its confines the nurse told Rachel to coax the baby to latch on by bringing the nipple to Charlotte's mouth. It took a few attempts but eventually the little girl got the gist of what she was supposed to do on her end of things and latched on and within a few short minutes gurgling and soft grunts were the only sounds in the room as Quinn stood to the side in awe at the sight before her. It was the most natural and beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Okay, so maybe she was a little biased on that opinion since it was _her_ wife and daughter and Rachel's boobs were on display for her to ogle over, but still, seeing the way the diva was providing important needs for their daughter, it was breath taking. The nurse watched for a couple of minutes before smiling and nodding her head encouragingly when Rachel looked up with a questioning gaze to see if she was doing okay. "You're doing great. She'll probably stay like that for a little while since it's her first feed but when she's done you'll know. She'll start fussing and pull away to tell you she's done. Just make sure she's had a good 10-15 minutes of feeding at a given time and she'll get the hang of the routine," the nurse explained as she turned to face Quinn.

"If you want I can show you some ways you can help Rachel with the feeds, it will get you more involved too and it's a great little bonding exercise," the nurse asked the blonde who was suddenly very much alert, nodding her head comically. The nurse chuckled at the blonde's eagerness to participate before beckoning for her to approach the bed. "Okay what I want you to do is take Charlotte up in your arms and move the pillow aside," Quinn quickly did as she was told gently lifting her baby up into her arms and cooing at her before making quick work of getting rid of the pillow and then turning back to the nurse for guidance, Rachel also now smiling at her wife's eagerness to participate.

"Okay now sit down and hold Charlotte length ways, her feet towards you," as Quinn shifted her daughter carefully in her arms to the required position, the nurse turned her attention to Rachel, "Now Rachel, lean back against Quinn, Quinn support Charlotte with your right hand and let Rachel lean back into left arm, like you would if you were cuddling on the couch," the nurse said with a shrug of her shoulders as both Quinn and Rachel smiled and slipped easily into their favourite couch position. "Now Rachel, place your left arm across Charlotte and help Quinn support her head and, again, just guide her to your breast and she should…latch….on…"the nurse trailed off as she watched as the baby quickly reacquainted herself with her main food resource.

Once Charlotte was back feeding, Quinn couldn't hold back the face splitting grin on her face, it felt amazing. Wanting to get more comfortable, the blonde kicked off her shoes and placed her legs on the bed, bringing her right leg up under her arm to help support the hold she had on Charlotte, although there wasn't really much need, her daughter was tiny, weighing in at 5Ibs 11oz, cute and compact, just like her mother Quinn thought. Rachel gently stroked her daughter's hair, the little girl gazing up at both her mother's from her position. As if wanting to have a conversation, the baby released a little grunt making both her mother's chuckle in response.

"You wanna talk baby girl?" Quinn asked in her baby voice. Rachel leaned back a little further into her wife's embrace and basked in the feeling of warmth and love that enveloped her as she lay there with her wife and daughter listening to Quinn engage the baby childish banter as Charlotte against her breast every now and again as if she were actually responding. The vibration in her chest made Rachel's heart soar. This was it. The perfect family set up she and Quinn had been dreaming about since they were seniors in high school. Their dream had finally come true.

The nurse smiled adoringly at the family and took her opportunity to leave before she was stopped by Quinn's voice, "Before you go could you hand Rachel the Tiffany bag on the table please?" the blonde asked eying the gift bag, the nurse nodded and walked to the table, grabbed the bag and handed it to Rachel before quickly leaving to tend to her other patients. Rachel carefully opened the bag and noticed not one, not two, but three Tiffany jewellery boxes in the bag, two of equal size and one slightly smaller. Pulling the boxes out with her free hand she looked at Quinn who was watching her patiently.

"Open the bigger two first, preferably at the same time since I can't remember which one is which," the blonde said with a small laugh. Rachel eyed the boxes for a minute before

opening the two bigger boxes, one after the other, and gushing over the twin white gold heart pendent necklaces that were staring back at her. One was engraved with the initials QF&CF for Rachel, while the other had RF&CF for Quinn, both with the initials linking into each other in cursive writing. "Quinn they're beautiful," Rachel sighed as she turned her head slightly and placed a kiss on Quinn's cheek since it was too awkward to kiss her on the lips in their current position without jostling the baby away from her breast.

"What's in this one?" she asked as she eyed the smaller box. "Open it," Quinn replied as she watched on. Rachel gripped the box carefully in her hand and flipped the lid open with her pointer finger. Inside was a baby sized white gold solid bracelet, similar to the ones worn by some babies when they were christened. The bracelet was big enough to slip over the baby's wrist easily and once it was on, could be adjusted to a smaller size so it stayed in place. There was a small heart shape on the front that was engraved and Rachel tilted it a little so she could read it since it was slightly smaller than the engravings on the necklaces.

"Our little star*," Rachel read aloud her voice cracking a little at the emotion that was welling up inside. Quinn leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the side of her wife's head. "Read the other side," she instructed and Rachel twisted it around so that she was now facing the heart from the inside which was also engraved, "Love Always, Mama and Mommy," she read aloud and that was enough to break the dam that she had been trying to keep intact. "Quinn, this, it's amazing," she whispered, unable to speak any louder without allowing more tears to escape. Quinn pressed her lips to the side of Rachel's head and kept them there for a moment before she leaned her cheek there in their place.

"It was the least I could do after the way you handled this pregnancy. I mean it Rach, you've been, incredible. Even after everything, the last nine months have been tough on both of us, but you've blown me away again with the strength that you have to get Charlotte here today and I, I can't even put into words how much this means to me to have you and our baby here, right now, in my arms. It's _the _greatest day of my life and I have you to thank for that," Quinn said as she squeezed Rachel's shoulders with the arm wrapped around her wife. A tear slipped down Rachel's cheek as she softly caressed Quinn's wrist that was supporting the weight of their daughter.

"No, Quinn, Charlotte's here because of you. If it hadn't been for the strength, and courage, and the support that I got from you I would never have continued with the IVF treatment after the miscarriage," Rachel said, laying bear her honest thoughts during those hard times. "You have been the one constant that has seen me through everything, without fail over the last seven, almost eight years. You have given your everything to our relationship, our family, you've devoted yourself to us and you've done it all without asking for anything in return. Because you love us unconditionally and Quinn," Rachel said as she linked her fingers with Quinn's hand that was resting upon her shoulder, "I love you too, so much, every part of you and nothing will ever change that. And I know for a fact that Charlotte loves you too and is going to be so proud to have you as a mom."

Rachel was quiet for a moment until she felt a hot tear land on the skin of her neck, so she leaned her head back to rest against her wife's shoulder, making sure to rest a hand under Charlotte's head to keep her in place. Quinn allowed a few more tears to fall before gazing down at her wife and daughter and smiling through it all. "I love you guys too. So much," she said as she basked in the feeling of holding the two people she cared the most about in the world in her arms as they relaxed as a family. Before things could get quiet and settle down, Charlotte began to fuss about, clearly she'd had enough for the time being.

"Do you want to try burping her or do you want me to do it?" Quinn asked, unsure if Rachel was comfortable enough to hold her. Rachel thought for a second and then sat up. "It's okay I think I can do it, can you get the towel so I can put it over my arm?" Rachel asked as her wife handed Charlotte over to her and went to retrieve the towel. The diva placed Charlotte sitting upright on her thigh, the baby's chest lying against her forearm facing away from her. Quinn returned with the small towel and waited as Rachel moved Charlotte away from her arm so she could place the towel over it and shifting her back into position.

Once the baby was settled, Rachel switched between rubbing soothing circles and patting the little girls back. Quinn sat on the edge of the bed and dipped her head so she was facing her daughter and 'talked' to her as Rachel continued her ministrations. After another couple of minutes, Charlotte eventually got rid of the unwanted wind and some other fluids and Rachel cooed at her as she wiped her little girl's mouth gently with the towel so that she was all clean, before tossing it to the bedside cabinet to have it taken care of later.

Quinn took Charlotte up when Rachel was done to allow the diva to close her shirt properly and took her over to the basinet to change her. One good thing about having two moms' is that there was never an argument over diaper changing duty. The blonde made quick work of the job at hand and once she was done she dressed her daughter in a cute pink onesie with a little star on the chest. "That's all better now huh?" Quinn said as she smiled down at her daughter who was gazing up at her with her big brown eyes. Rachel gazed longingly at her two loves from her position reclined on the bed. When Quinn lifted Charlotte up, she rested her daughter's head against her chest and supported her weight by resting her other arm under her bottom.

In this position Charlotte's head was resting snugly near the crook of Quinn's neck and Rachel grinned at the photo opportunity, it was too cute to pass up. Reaching for her iPhone, she opened the camera app and waited. When Quinn leaned down to place a kiss on their daughter's head Rachel snapped the pic and beamed at the result. It was adorable. "I think I found my Twitter pic to introduce Charlotte to the world," she said as she showed her wife the picture. Quinn loved it the minute she saw it, "Wait until we introduce her to our friends and family first, plus I want one of my girls to put on my Twitter too." The blonde replied as she walked to the bed and shifted the pillow under Rachel's arm again so she could lay their daughter down on it so both she and Rachel could snuggle with her.

Just as they were getting comfortable, they heard the sound of quiet bickering going on outside the door. "Will you shut up, they'll hear us and the baby might be asleep," they heard Tina say as they listened carefully to what was going on the other side of the door. "Relax Stutters, I passed by less than 20 minutes ago and they were cooing over the baby, it's safe to say they're awake," came the unmistakeable voice of Santana. "You really couldn't wait could you Satan?" Kurt piped in. "Bite me Liza. We've been waiting for hours, I wants to gets my cuddle on," Santana spat back. "You'll have to get in line Santana," came the voice of Hiram Berry. "Oh we'll see about that Grandpa," the Latina replied with a snide tone.

"Are you guys gonna come in and see the baby or are you just going to stand out there all day and bicker?" Rachel called out. Within seconds the door flew open and a stream of eager, happy faces came piling into the room, balloons, flowers and gift bags galore being put anywhere there was room. Quinn gently lifted Charlotte and faced her towards the army of people who would be her surrogate family, standing around the bed. "Everybody, I want you to meet our daughter, Charlotte," she said with a beaming smile. The girls all melted at the adorableness that was Charlotte Fabray. Hiram and Leroy had tears of joy in their eyes at the sight of their granddaughter, and the boys all turned to giant puddles of mush.

"Can I…," Santana trailed off as she motioned towards her goddaughter. Rachel chuckled at her surrogate big sister and nodded her head. "Of course," she said as her wife picked Charlotte up and walked towards the slightly nervous Latina. "Charlotte, say hi to your auntie Tana," Quinn whispered as she gently lowered her daughter into the arms of her best friend and the person she was entrusting to look after her if ever there was a reason she and Rachel couldn't. Within seconds of feeling the warmth of the little baby in her arms Santana's eyes lit up. "Hi Charlie, I'm your aunt Tana," she said in a low gentle tone as her eyes welled up with tears.

Kurt snorted at the sight of the fierce Santana Lopez being reduced to a blubbering mess but stopped quickly when the Latina cut him with a glare, "You tell anybody about this Liberace and I will ends you." Once Quinn had settled herself back down on the bed next to her wife, Brittany bounced over to the bed and gave Rachel a little gift bag. "This is just a small gift from San and me. I wanted to bring all her gifts but San said it wouldn't be right to make everyone else feel bad about how much stuff we bought the baby," Brittany rambled as she handed over the bag completely oblivious to the fact that everybody was more than likely not supposed to hear that. A few of the Gleeks looked at Santana who just shrugged, "I'm rich and she's my Goddaughter, deal with it."

Rachel reached into the bag and pulled out the fluffy duck teddy and giggled, it was just so Brittany. She then pulled out the baby grow and unfolded it, rolling her eyes when she read the slogan while Quinn tried to bite back a laugh. Obviously this was from Santana as she turned it around so everyone else could see. Across the front were the words 'I'm A BAMF'. Quinn took it into her hands and chuckled, "Maybe we'll keep this one for around the house." Emma just looked at Will, "I'm not sure that's entirely appropriate for a newborn," she whispered and Will just smiled because, really, he could see the humour behind it, it was Santana after all.

"Okay, my turn," Hiram said as he stepped forward, gently lifting his granddaughter out of the Latina's arms and cradling her against his chest. "Hi baby girl, I'm your grand pappy Hiram," he said as he went and stood next to Leroy as they both showered the little girl with attention. Rachel and Quinn watched on with smiles on their faces, just as Puck stepped up to the bed and handed them another gift bag. "I know I already got her some things, but I figured this is something she won't grow out of as quickly and will have for a while. From her uncle No-No," he said with a bashful smile, knowing that Rachel and Charlotte would always have a special pass on using his given name.

Quinn reached into the bag and pulled put a soft pink blanket, in the corner there was teddy bear sewed into it with Charlotte Quinn Fabray stitched underneath and her date of birth. "Puck this is beautiful. Thank you so much," the blonde said standing up and hugging the man close to her. When she pulled away, Rachel motioned for him in the universal sign of 'come here' and when he leaned down, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "I love it, and Charlotte will love it. Thank you Noah," she whispered in his ear. Puck pulled back and smiled at both girls before turning to the others and calling out.

"Alright hand her over, it's time for some Uncle Puck and Charlotte bonding time," he said as he walked over to the Berry men and was handed the little girl who looked tiny in his big strong arms. The whole scene was perfect, Charlotte was finally meeting all the people who had been so eager to meet her, people who would be her family from this day forward, who would love and protect her like one of their own. Yes, Charlotte Fabray was a very lucky girl, and Quinn and Rachel couldn't help but beam at the love in the room at that very moment.

**So what did you think? Please hit that review button. I love hearing your thoughts. Talk to you again soon.**


	34. Chapter 31

**Hey guys, sorry it's taken so long to update. My grandmother was seriously ill there for a little bit and it was touch and go for a while but thankfully everything is all good now. Anyways here's a little update, it's really just a chapter welcoming baby Charlotte home but I hope you enjoy it anyways. Sorry for any mistakes it's quite late, but I hope you enjoy it.**

There have been many moments in Quinn's life that have resulted in the blonde waking up in the morning with the biggest smile she could possibly produce. There was the first time she stayed over at Rachel's house and woke up with the brunette wrapped in her arms, there was the days after Quinn had proposed for the first and second time, the morning of their wedding, the day she discovered she was going to be a mother, and today, the day Quinn walked into Lima General with a car seat swinging from her arm, ready to take her wife and daughter home so they could begin living their lives as a proper family.

As she walked past the nurse's station, she aimed a grateful smile in their direction, and then tilted her head in recognition when they all thanked her for the generous gift baskets that had arrived that morning from the '_Fabray Family'._ It had been Rachel's idea, the diva wanted to thank the nurses for everything they had done for her and Charlotte over the last several days, so Quinn had her assistant ship luxury goodie baskets from New York for each of the nurses on staff and had them delivered to the hospital. It was the least they could do.

Continuing on her path, Quinn slowed almost to a crawl when she heard the familiar sound of her wife's angelic voice coming from her room. The brunette was singing to their daughter, an activity that had become quite the regular occurrence whenever Rachel was putting Charlotte to sleep, feeding her, or distracting her so she could change her diaper. Quinn loved to catch these moments, they were so precious and she wanted to be able to commit them all to memory because she was sure these would be the memories she would cherish the most. Quinn was so engrossed in listening to her wife singing that she did move again until the singing had stopped, and that was enough to propel her back into motion.

"There's my two favourite girls," the blonde beamed as she entered the room, her wife sitting on the edge of the made up bed with baby Charlotte resting snuggly in her arms. The little girl was dressed in a floral print dress with tights, a light cardigan, a soft hat on her head and baby Converse on her feet, a gift from her uncle Ben. She was adorable with a capital A. "Look Charlie, Mommy's here to take us home," Rachel spoke in a hushed baby voice before tilting her head up to kiss her wife. Quinn grinned at Rachel as she pulled away and then leaned down to press a tender kiss to her daughter's head who gazed up at her with brown eyes, grunting her delight in seeing her mommy.

Quinn placed the car seat on the bed and turned to her wife as she welcomed the feeling of her baby girl being placed into her arms for the first time in what felt like forever. Okay, technically it had only been since the night before, but the blonde was smitten, any time away from either of her girls was too long, and Rachel felt exactly the same. She had hated all the nights she had spent alone with Charlotte in the hospital once visiting hours were over. Sure, it may have come across as needy, but she didn't care, she was head over heels in love with that woman and she was her wife, if she wanted to miss her she was entitled to feel so and she wasn't going to apologise for it. See Quinn swaying their baby girl and gazing at her so lovingly, just made the brunette fall that bit deeper in love. There was no way she ever wanted to be separated from these two girls, ever.

"You ready to go home?" Quinn spoke to Charlotte, her gaze connecting briefly with Rachel who smiled and nodded before Quinn returned her attention to her daughter. "Then let's get going," she said as she cradled the baby in one arm as she used the other to move the straps in the seat before gently lowering the little girl down into the seat and buckling her in. Once she was sure Charlotte was settled and comfortable, Quinn picked up the blanket from Puck and tucked it in around her to keep her warm on the ride home. Just as she was picking up Rachel's hospital bag, a nurse walked in with a wheelchair to bring Rachel down to the car.

Quinn helped her still healing wife to ease herself off the bed and into the wheelchair as the nurse picked up the stuffed bear and sat it in Rachel's lap. The Berry men had taken home all the gift bags, balloons and flowers the previous night so the girls didn't have to worry about. "Are you ready to go?" the nurse asked and once Quinn had picked the car seat with their daughter tucked safely inside, both women nodded their heads and they were on their way. Quinn had parked in the underground car park usually reserved for staff, but given the girls celebrity status, they had been given the privilege of parking there to prevent media intrusion. The paps had been descending on Lima for the past two days after the girls released a statement regarding the birth of baby Charlotte.

Luckily, they didn't know where Rachel's childhood home was, although it was only a matter of time before they uncovered that piece of information. The girls just hoped that they could have at least a day to themselves before they had to start calling for police intervention. The ironic thing is, they both knew that once the paps had their pictures of the girls with Charlotte that they would be on their merry way, unfortunately, neither of them were willing to inflict that kind of treatment on their daughter. They wanted to protect Charlotte from that life, not subject her to it. Which was why they were planning on releasing a Twitter picture once they were home, they wanted to introduce their daughter to the world on their own terms in the knowledge that they were behind the camera and not some stranger with an ulterior motive.

Once they reached the car, the nurse helped Rachel into the passenger seat, while Quinn strapped in Charlotte and her car seat, double checking and triple checking that she had in fact got it right before closing the door to head to the driver's side. Once she climbed in she put the key in the ignition and turned to her wife. "Let's go home," she beamed as she put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking space. Rachel leaned her head back against the head rest sighing, "Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to get home, and I love my dad's to death, but part or me really wished it would just be us on our first day home as a family." Quinn nodded her head at Rachel had said before a grin formed on her face.

"Then it's a good thing I sent them off on that overnight amateur golfing tournament in Columbus," the blonde sing songed. The diva whipped her head to the left and looked at her wife wide eyed, making Quinn chuckle. "I figured you'd want at least one day for it to be just the three of us, like it would have been if we were home in New York. So I talked it over with them and they were more than willing to vacate the house for the night, although Leroy was slightly hesitant but he changed his mind pretty quickly when Hiram mentioned something about a hot pro golfer making an appearance at the event," she laughed at the memory.

Rachel melted at how thoughtful her wife had been, it made going home all the more exciting. Sure it wasn't _their_ home, but it was the home where Rachel grew up, where she and Quinn had been married and where they had begun their lives as wife and wife. The more she thought about it, the more in love with the idea Rachel became, it was almost like this was meant to happen. That Charlotte was so supposed to begin her life in the same house that brought such joy to her mothers. That very thought made Rachel's heart swell and she couldn't have felt more content than she did in that moments.

"How's our girl doing back there?" Quinn asked as she glanced in the rear view mirror. Rachel glanced over her shoulder and smiled when she saw that Charlotte was awake and gazing at the world whizzing past her through the window, although by the way her eyelids were dropping it was only a matter of minutes before she drifted off back to Never Never land, or where her dreams brought her. "She's perfect," Rachel gushed as she turned back around in her seat gazing at Quinn. The blonde momentarily turned her head to smile at her wife, before focusing her attention back on the road, reaching her hand out to clasp her hand in her wife's and bringing it up to her lips to place a gentle kiss on it. "Yeah, she is," she replied.

It didn't take long to reach the Berry house and once Quinn had pulled into the drive she glanced at Rachel who was unbuckling her belt. "Are you okay to walk to the house or do you wanna wait until I get Charlotte settled inside?" she asked, knowing her wife was still sore and tender from the c-section. Rachel shook her head no before placing her hand on the door handle. "No I'm good, could you just give me a hand getting out?" she asked. Quinn nodded her head as she stole a kiss from the brunette, "Of course, hold tight," she said as she put the car keys in her purse and climbed out of the SUV.

Walking around to the passenger side she opened the door and gently helped her wife out of the car, placing one hand on Rachel's side while the other grasped her hand for support. Once the diva was on her feet, Quinn closed the door and then went to retrieve their daughter. When she had Charlotte's car seat balanced securely hanging from her arm, she grabbed the bag and placed it on her shoulder then kicked the car door closed. Rachel walked toward the house with Quinn's free hand resting carefully on her lower back and opened the door, taking a step inside and moving out of wife's way so that the blonde could set Charlotte down in the living room.

Quinn gently lowered the car seat down onto the coffee table and set the bag down as Rachel sat down on the couch in front of it, waiting patiently as Quinn unbuckled their daughter and lifted her out of the car seat and into the diva's waiting arms. Charlotte squirmed a little as she adjusted to her new resting place before eventually settling down and closing her eyes again, clearly intent on sleeping the day away before she was interrupted by all those noisy grown-ups who always seemed eager to play with her. It was nice and all but sometimes all Charlotte really wanted to do was kick back and relax with her mom's.

"Are you sure Arthur's ready to meet her?" Rachel asked hesitantly. They had been preparing their first 'baby' for Charlotte's arrival for months and since the birth, Quinn had made it a point to familiarise him with the baby's scent so that he was aware that the new human in their home wasn't an intruder. Every day she would bring home something from the hospital that smelled like Charlotte and let Arthur sniff it for a moment before 'explaining' that he had a new baby sister. She would then put the item in the wash and put it away. Quinn nodded at Rachel as she stood up, gently stroking Charlotte's cheek.

"He'll be fine and I'll be holding him the hold time, he needs to get used to her," she explained before walking out to the kitchen and opening the doors to the garden. "Arthur, c'mere boy," she called out and giggled when she saw golden brown fur bolting towards her from the bottom of the garden. Crouching down she cuddled the small dog close to her as she scratched behind his ears. "Hey boy, mama's home and she brought someone real special with her. Wanna meet her?" Quinn asked and Arthur barked his enthusiasm. Lifting the dog up into her arms, the blonde walked inside the house towards the living room and had to tighten her grip as Arthur's excitement tried to propel him towards the catch to get to Rachel and the baby.

"Sssh, calm down boy, calm down," Quinn hushed as she coaxed him to relax. Once he was settled, the blonde sat down on the couch next to her wife. Rachel turned her attention to Arthur and smiled leaning down and placing a kiss on his head. "Hey boy, I've missed you," she said as she freed one of her arms so she could pet him. "Arthur we want you to meet someone, this Charlotte, she's your baby sister," Rachel explained as she raised her arm so the baby was in an upright position. Arthur slowly leaned his nose in and began to sniff Charlotte's little hand that was dangling by her side. Quinn was on alert, making sure she was ready to jump into action should Arthur react badly to the baby's presence. However both Rachel and Quinn's worries were eliminated when Arthur poked out his tongue and 'kissed' Charlotte's hand.

Both girls smiled and laughed at the interaction, delighted that Arthur was warming up to the baby. There was a concern that they may have had to find a new home for their beloved pooch once the baby arrived out of fear he may not accept her, but he just proved them wrong. Clearly all their preparations had done some good. "Okay boy that's enough," Quinn giggled as Arthur tried to lean up to lick the baby's face. The blonde stood up and brought the dog outside, closing the back door before grabbing a baby wipe from the fresh pack on the kitchen counter and returning to the living room. Sitting back down she softly wiped at her daughter's hand to clean off the dog slobber and then tossed it in the little bin next to the small desk where Hiram sometimes sat when he would sign off on documents while watching The View.

Sitting back on the couch, Quinn beckoned for Rachel to lean back, and once the diva and their baby were resting sung against her, she felt herself properly relax for what felt like the first time in days. "This is nice," she said as she kissed her wife on the temple, gently holding her daughters hand between her thumb and pointer finger. The house was quiet, the baby was asleep, Rachel was in heaven, and best of all, she had the arms of the person she felt the safest with wrapped around her and Charlotte. She was back in the place she considered her safe haven.

"What do you say we get this Twitter pic out of the way with, then go upstairs, take a nap and have some family time later when Charlotte's up for feeding time? I can cook us some dinner," Quinn suggested as she felt her wife sag into her, exhaustion beginning to creep in. Rachel smiled, loving the idea of home cooked food. "Sounds perfect, but I thought we were going to use the pictures we took at the hospital?" she asked. Quinn hummed, "Well we could but I kind of like mine too much to share it with the public. I want to put it in my photo frame I travel with. Plus Tom thinks it would be better if we gave them a family shot and got it over and done with so the press don't keep hounding us for pictures," she relayed as Rachel nodded her head in understanding.

"Okay, let's do. Take the pic then send it to my phone we can post them together," the diva said as she pulled her phone from her pocket and placed it next to her on the couch. Quinn reached over to the coffee table and picked up her phone and sat back, instantly clicking on the camera app and waited as it opened up. Rachel for her part shifted Charlotte into an upright position resting snugly between both her mothers with Rachel's hands holding her safely in place. Quinn wrapped her left arm around her wife's shoulders and then lifted her with the other, switching the camera to the screen side so she could position the shot. Once she had the perfect angle she snapped the picture.

"Perfect," she beamed leaning in and giving her wife a loving kiss, momentarily slipping her tongue before they pulled apart and then she leaned down and kissed the crown of Charlotte's head. Turning her attention back to her phone, Quinn quickly sent the picture to her wife's phone and then picked it up so she could post it to both their Twitter accounts.

_ MrsQuinn_Fabray:_ _On behalf of myself and my wife MrsRachelBFabray we want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and messages of love on the arrival of our baby girl. _

_ MrsQuinn_Fabray: Introducing Charlotte Quinn Fabray (twitpic). _

_ MrsQuinn_Fabray: Feeling truly blessed to have three great loves in my life. Yes I include Arthur in that. 3 x xx_

_ MrsRachelBFabray: Proud to introduce you to our beautiful daughter Charlotte (twitpic)._

_ MrsRachelBFabray: There are now two beautiful women who own my heart, but I'm sure _

_ MrsQuinn_Fabray doesn't mind sharing with this one. Love you both so much, AND Arthur x x x_

"Aaaaaand done," Quinn said as she set both phones down on the coffee table. "Now I think we've earned a nice nap," she spoke in a childlike tone as she carefully lifted her daughter into her arms and stood up, reaching out a hand to help her wife up off the couch. Rachel kissed the blonde on the cheek as they made their way to the stairs, Quinn trailing behind her wife to make sure Rachel was ok with the climb. When they arrived in the room, they had quickly decided against placing Charlotte in her basinet, instead choosing to cuddle with her on the bed.

Rachel climbed into the bed first and settled herself in a position that was comfortable and offered her as much relief from the ache in her lower stomach as possible. Once she had gotten herself positioned, Quinn kicked off her shoes and climbed in, gently lowering Charlotte down to the spot in between them. Both women turned on their sides and faced each other, smiling at the family scene in all its glory. "Sweet dreams baby," Rachel hushed as she dropped a kiss to Charlotte's head before her own eyes slipped closed. Quinn smiled at the sight of her girls fast asleep before dropping a kiss to both their heads, "Love you guys," she whispered before closing her eyes and drifing off into a peaceful sleep.

**And there we have it. Hope you liked it and thanks again for all the reviews for the last chapter I really appreciate it.**

**On another note, thank you to everyone who responded to my teaser post for my next fic When Nightmares Become Reality. I really appreciate the feedback and for those of you who were wondering, I hope to have that fic started as soon as I finish up with Saving Me, which sadly is coming to an end soon. So be warned, you better get the tissues ready because it's going to be a tear filled ending. But will they be happy tears or sad tears? I'm evil I know. Talk to you later.**


	35. Chapter 32

**Chapter update! So here it is, we finally find out why Shannon is so intent on being a bitch to Quinn. I know I promised this way back but I couldn't find a way to fit it into the story naturally, until now. There's a nice little Faberry moment at the end too. **** Thanks again for all the reviews and I hope you like this update.**

"Um Britt, not that Quinn and I don't appreciate all the gifts you and Santana gave Charlie, but, was all this really necessary?" Rachel queried as she gazed around her fathers crowded den that was overflowing with clothes, toys and other presents for Charlotte, a good chunk of which were from the bubbly blonde and her fiancée. Brittany simply giggled as she rifled through all the baby clothes, admiring them and at times pairing items together to mix and match outfits. Rachel simply tried to manoeuvre her way through the minefield with little Charlie resting against her chest in the baby body carrier strapped around the diva.

"I know Santana doesn't show it often cause she doesn't want people to think she's weak or whatever, but she loves family, and you , Quinn and baby Charlie are our family so she wanted to show that she loves her and that she's always got Baby C's back. Sometimes that means she spends a lot of money, it's her way of showing she cares without all the mushy stuff," Brittany explained as she hugged the little duck teddy to her chest, the very teddy Brittany had bought for Charlotte and aptly named 'Ducky'.

Rachel for her part smiled because she knew what the blonde was saying was entirely true, this was Santana's way of showing her goddaughter how much she loved her. Although Rachel had caught the brunette the previous day telling Charlie just how much she cared, though that was probably because she thought she was alone at the time. Santana simply shrugged it off before passing off a hobbit comment at Rachel just to remind her that she was till a bad ass, but the diva just laughed it off, she knew there was no malice in the remark.

"What time do you think that Quinn and Santana will be back?" Brittany asked as she walked over, or more like climbed over all the gifts and stopped in front of the diva, gently taking a hold of one of Charlie's hands that was resting against Rachel's chest. The brunette shrugged her shoulders as she grinned at the blonde who was making funny faces at the baby, trying to evoke a smile from the tiny tot. "I'm not sure Britt, but when they do, do you and San wanna stay for dinner? My dad's would love to see you guys," Rachel said as she moved to take a seat on the faux leather couch, teenage Rachel had flat out refused to allow her father's purchase a real leather couch.

"We'd love to, I've missed the misters Berry," Brittany replied as she softly clapped her hands together and bounced on the spot. Rachel was happily watching from her place on the couch when Charlotte began to stir against her chest, a small sob escaping her. "Looks like someone's hungry," Rachel cooed as she wrapped both arms around her daughter and stood up. "Aw sweetie it's okay," she shushed as she made her way towards the door to take Charlotte up to her room so she could nurse her. "Hey B, you okay to hang by yourself for a bit" she asked before leaving the room.

Brittany just gave her a beaming smile, before nodding her answer and bouncing out of the den and across to the living room where she ungracefully plopped herself down on the couch and turned the tv on to one of the music channels. Rachel knew all too well that once she came back down stairs, she was bound to find the girl dancing and gliding across the living room. With one last glance towards her friend she continued on up the stairs and into her room. "Now let's get you fed so you can play with Mommy when she gets home."

Quinn and Santana gazed out over the football field, watching the latest crop of Cheerio's doing yet another run through of the same routine, complete with fireworks, acrobatics and for some strange reason, seven little people, or dwarfs as Sue liked to call them. Ironically, both former cheerleaders were completely unfazed by the entire display. It was Sue Sylvester right down to the ground. Their former Cheer coach had requested their presence to help scope out her new cheer captain, or co captains, depending on what they saw.

With both girls in town, it only seemed fitting that two of the best captains Sue had ever had give a hand in discovering the next HBIC. Although both girls felt slightly uncomfortable with the idea considering they had both changed so much from the bitchy, repressed teenagers they used to be. Quinn felt especially wrong in doing so now that she was a mom. The girl Quinn used to be when she was a teenager was the very type of girl she hoped her own daughter would never become, or never have to encounter. So the girls attended with an ulterior motive, find the new captain, or captains, and make them understand that being a grade A bitch gets you nowhere in life.

"Well that was a giant waste of time. Twenty plus Cheerio's and not one of them capable of taking the lead, how is that even possible? I mean you'd think at least one of those bleach blonde Hayden Panettiere 'Bring It On' wannabe's would have enough backbone to stand out," Santana whined as she and Quinn walked back towards the bleachers towards the entrance of the Cheerio's locker room. Quinn just hummed her response as she checked her phone for any missed calls or texts. She had been checking it every fifteen minutes but only because she wanted to make sure her wife wasn't trying to contact her for any reason, like an emergency or something. Okay so maybe she was being a little overdramatic, but apparently that's what happens when you become a parent.

"I'm kind of glad, at least that's one less angry, self-centred HBIC in the world," Quinn said as they came to a stop at one of Sue's many trophy cabinets, this one happened to be from their time at McKinley based on the group picture that was proudly displayed on one of the shelves. "Speaking of angry, self-centred bitches, what's the 411 with your lady stalker? Cause seriously Q, it was one thing for her to try and mess with you when it was just you and mini Barbra, but now you got a kid in the mix, that ain't okay in my book," Santana rambled as she leaned against the glass cabinet.

"Believe me I know, and as long as I'm alive, Charlotte will never breathe the same air as that bitch," Quinn replied with a steely undertone, her protective motherly instincts creeping to the surface. "I just, I feel like there's more to Shannon than what we've been seeing. Something has to be driving her to be so, so vindictive," Quinn trailed off. Santana knew that the blonde was speaking from experience. Everyone knew that back in the day, fear was the driving force behind that HBIC gaze that Quinn carried most of her high school career, maybe she on to something.

"Do you happen to be talking about a certain Shannon Carter, formerly Peterson, formerly known as Rebecca Peterson?" came the voice of Sue Sylvester, her hands linked behind her back. Both former Cheerio's turned on their heel to face their coach. Santana frowned and raised her hands in a back-up motion on. "Wait hold up, hold up, Rebecca Peterson?" she replied, clearly confused. Sue nodded, "Rebecca Shannon Peterson, if I'm not mistaken," she trailed off, seeing the confusion on Quinn's face turn to that of realisation.

"No, it can't be," Quinn said as she shook her head. Santana turned to face the blonde wondering what exactly was going on. "Does somebody wanna fill me in on what the fuck is going on?" she asked, getting frustrated at the lack of details she was receiving. Quinn on her end, felt physically sick. Feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on, the blonde moved to lean against the wall as she levelled out her breathing. "Cheer camp, remember? It was two weeks before the start of our sophomore year," Quinn finally said and Santana began trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.

"It was the year I took up the captaincy, Sue had us run initiation trials on all the girls who wanted to try out for the team, so we could faze out all the "no hopers" before school started up." Realisation began to dawn on the Latina as her mind travelled back to that time. It was actually the last time Sue was allowed to hold cheerleader try-outs before the beginning of the school term after the numerous complaints Figgins received about the so called initiation rituals. Girls had actually fled home in floods of tears either out of pure humiliation, or a new found hatred for all things cheery. If you wanted to be a Cheerio, you were expected to be flawless, in performance and in appearance.

"I have to say that Shannon girl, she really didn't appreciate that experience. But look on the bright side, you did the girl a favour. She looks like she stepped right out of the uterus of one Megan Fox and I think that is something to be grateful for," Sue said with a grin. Quinn actually looked disgusted by what Sue had said, if she remembered correctly, Shannon had every right to want to ruin Quinn. After all she and Santana was responsible for who the brunette was today. Brittany not so much, she may have been one third of the Unholy Trinity, but the girl didn't have it in her to be cruel to another human being.

Cheer camp was a simple concept to grasp, train up the people with potential and weed out the people who would only stand to ruin the Cheerio's reputation. That was it, and Quinn had been in the fortunate position of being the youngest Cheerio ever to take the captaincy, the position was usually passed down to a Junior after the original captain graduated. But teenage Quinn was everything Sue looked for in a leader, fierce, fearless and above all, flawless. Quinn looked like the All American girl next door, but with a seductive streak that had boys drooling at the chin. She was the straight A good Christian girl, in short she was everything Sue believed a captain should be.

However anyone that knew Quinn, knew that hadn't always been the case. You see when Quinn became who she was, because she was terrified of what her parents would think if she revealed her true self. Being gay was unacceptable and having to hide her true self, tore away at Quinn's insides. She knew that the only way to keep her parents happy was to be exactly who they wanted her to be. So she ruled with an iron fist, if she was expected to have to live a certain way, then everyone else who wanted to stand in her presence would have to be exactly like her.

Of course living a lie made for an unhappy Quinn, and an unhappy Quinn made life hell for everyone around her. Accept Santana, because the Latina had been in the same boat with regards to struggling with her sexuality, so they both kept one another's secret and guarded it with their lives. If that meant tearing down anyone who got too close to the truth then so be it. It just so happened, that during that time Shannon, or Rebecca as she was known then, got too close to Quinn's true self, and that just wouldn't do for McKinley's most notorious HBIC.

Quinn and Shannon had actually started off on a good note. At the time, Shannon was a little heavier, her hair was auburn and her skin needed a little taking care of, but she had a lot of potential as an actual cheerleader. Quinn had even offered to help her work on getting toned and fixing up her appearance if she made it onto the team. Needless to say Shannon, who had just come out to her parents as being bisexual, developed somewhat of a crush on the blonde, and who could blame her. She had actually received a compliment from her, even if it came with a list of things that needed to change. They were on good terms.

It all came to a head however when, after a night of binge drinking, Shannon got a little too brave and kissed the Cheerio while they had been discussing her new workout regime. Closeted Quinn panicked and bolted out of the room, but not before cursing Shannon for committing a sin against God and proclaiming that homosexuality was wrong. Although it didn't stop the former Cheerio developing seriously conflicting feelings that night after she had ranted to Santana. Feeling the need to redeem her carefully crafted image, Quinn decided that a bit of harmless humiliation would work to drive Shannon's affections elsewhere.

After a swim session down by the lake, which most of the Cheerio's had left early, some of Quinn's minions had hid Shannon's clothes and towel while she had been showering off before dinner, forcing the girl to run across the camp stark naked, and all Quinn had to say for herself was "And that is why girls are not my thing." The words had been spoken with a haughty smile as Santana and Brittany stood next to her, but deep down those words cut Quinn to the core, because once again, she was denying her true self.

"After your little stunt, Rebecca transferred high schools, reinvented herself and returned as Shannon. Though it seems her little crush on you is far from over," Sue said once they had finished their little journey down memory lane. Santana had the decency to bow her head in shame. She was still a BAMF, but that didn't mean she was proud of some of the things she had done as a confused teenager. And Quinn, well Quinn felt downright ashamed, it was like she had just been bitch slapped in the face by the ghost of who she used to be and it made her sick to the stomach.

"I'll leave your girls to your little guilt party. I have some new Cheerio's to train in," Sue said as she walked back out to towards the field. Santana felt a buzzing in her bag and removed her phone to find a message from Brittany. "Britt just text me, apparently we're having dinner at your place tonight with Rachel's dad's," she reiterated. Quinn barely heard what her friend had said, she was too caught up in the turmoil in her head. "Q?" Santana called out as she waved a hand in front of the blondes face. "Hm, what?" Quinn said when she finally came around, but cut Santana off before she could respond. "Let's go home, I don't feel like hanging around here anymore," she said as she made for the exit, Santana trailing behind.

Back at the Berry house, Rachel and Brittany had occupied themselves with baking. The blonde had created a platitude of duck and cat shaped cookies, while Rachel had made a vegan red velvet cake to for dessert that evening. "Hey Rach, when do you plan on going back to work?" Brittany asked as she placed icing on her cookies. Rachel stopped decorating her cake as she thought about the question for a moment. The diva hadn't really thought about work much since Charlotte was born, in fact she hadn't thought about it at all, but she probably should start working out a time frame.

"Um, I'm not sure actually. I figure, I'll wait till Charlie's at least six months old before I start thinking about it. I get back to recording my album," Rachel shrugged as she returned to icing the cake, finishing off the last few empty spaces. Just as she finished, the front door opened and in stepped the girls respective other halves. Santana dumped her bag down on the kitchen island and wrapped her arms around Brittany from behind, resting her chin on the blonde girls shoulder. Quinn walked up to Rachel pecking her on the lips before glancing around for her daughter.

"Charlie asleep?" she asked as she turned back to face her wife. Rachel gazed up at hazel eyes and she could see that they were troubled. Something was weighing on Quinn's mind, but she didn't want to push her. "I put her down for a nap earlier after her feeding, but she should be awake now if you want to get her up," Rachel said as she began putting away all the utensils into the dishwasher. Quinn nodded rather meekly before exiting the kitchen and heading up stairs to her daughter. Rachel sighed as she watched her go. This was not the relaxed evening she had been hoping for.

"You should go after her," Brittany said as she licked the icing off her fingers, offering one to Santana who politely declined. Rachel turned to face the couple before shaking her head. "No, Quinn needs to be alone right now to work through whatever's going on in her head. I'll give her some time and head up in a bit with a bottle so she can feed Charlie," Rachel replied, knowing that this was Quinn's thought processing time, the time where she worked through what was going on in her head and how it made her feel before she discussed it with her wife. Rachel knew that by the time she went upstairs, her wife would be ready to share.

Upon entering her room, Quinn made her way over to the crib and beamed when she saw her daughter was in fact awake. "Hi baby," Quinn cooed as she leaned down to pick up her daughter, cradling the baby's head against the crook of her neck as her other hand rested on the baby's bottom, supporting her weight. "Mommy's missed you," Quinn sighed as she placed a gentle kiss on Charlie's head swaying her back and forth as held her close, needing to feel something in that moment other than self-hatred. Walking over to the rocking chair, she sat down and settled herself comfortably, humming the words to a lullaby for her daughter, as she silently worked through the mess in her head.

A half an hour passed before Quinn knew it, a gentle knocking on the door bringing her out of her trance like state. She glanced up and smiled when she caught sight of her wife peeking around the door frame. "Hey, I thought you might want to give feed Charlotte?" Rachel said in a quiet tone as she held up the bottle of milk she had expressed earlier in the day. "Yeah," Quinn replied as she carefully shifted her daughter into a cradle position in her arms, before accepting the bottle from her wife. Rachel perched herself on the foot of her bed as she watch her wife and daughter, smiling at the way Charlotte was gazing so intently up at Quinn.

"Santana filled me in on what happened at the school today," Rachel said, hoping Quinn would take the bait and open up on her own accord. When the blonde looked up momentarily and nodded her head, the diva knew she was ready to talk. "It's just, when I remember that time, it feels like I'm remembering a different person, like it was someone else who did those things and not me," Quinn said with a shake of her head, "and then it hits me like a punch in the gut, I did those things, I purposely set out to hurt someone else to make myself feel better," she trailed off, her voice cracking as a tear spilled from her eye.

"Baby, all that stuff, it was a long time ago. You were a scared sixteen year old girl who wanted nothing more than to feel accepted by her family, anyone can see that," Rachel reasoned as she leaned forward and placed her hand on her wife's knee. But Quinn just shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You know I think of those times now and I picture Charlotte in my head, you like what if she was in Shannon's position, what if someone did that to her. If anyone hurt Charlotte the way I hurt people back then, I would literally want to tear them apart with my bear hands," Quinn muttered through gritted teeth.

Rachel watched the anguish on Quinn's face as the blonde gazed down at their daughter and she could see it. She could see Quinn losing it if something like that happened to their baby girl and she knew that the blonde would do everything in her power to right the wrong that had been done. Because she knew for a fact that the Quinn sitting in front of her, holding their child in such a protective embrace, who wore their wedding ring with the intention of being honest and faithful for the rest of their lives, was a different person to the girl she was a decade ago.

"I know you would baby and that is exactly why you need to let go of the past. You are NOT that girl anymore. You are my wife, you're Charlie's mother, the person who protects us, keeps us safe and makes us feel more loved than anyone ever could," Rachel sighed as she moved to kneel next to Quinn who was watching her with tears in her eyes. "Everyone has moments in their past that they're not proud of, but it's who they become that matters most and Quinn, you are the strongest, most kind hearted person I know and I love you more than anything and I am proud that you re my daughters mother, regardless of what you did in the past."

Those words hit Quinn like a tidal wave of emotion, she wasn't sure how to respond. Rachel had just been told of an incident from the blondes past that would make most people turn their heads in disgust. But here the diva was, proclaiming her love and understanding, reminding her that she had in fact changed and that who she was, had no bearing on the person that sat in that rocking chair holding a beautiful little girl in her arms and who had a wife that represented the good in the world. Quinn had changed, it was time she accepted that.

"It was you, you know," Quinn said as she wiped away a fallen tear with the back of her hand that was still holding the bottle. Rachel looked up at her confused, "You're the reason I changed, you made me who I am today. When I'm with you and Charlie, I'm the best version of myself and I never want to let you guys down," Quinn explained as she placed the now empty bottle down on the ground at her feet. "I can't change my past, and, one day, Charlie's gonna know about that part of my life. But I want to show her that anyone can change, that good people like you," Quinn trailed off as she linked her free hand with Rachel's, "good people like you can find the best even in the worst of people," she finished as she kissed the back of her wife's hand.

"You're more than good Quinn, you're amazing and if you ever forget that, I'll be right here to remind you," Rachel said before leaning up and connecting their lips in a loving kiss. When they broke apart, Charlotte began to kick her legs to get their attention making both women laugh. "And Miss Charlotte here, will be there to give you as many hugs and kisses it takes to make you feel better, isn't that right baby," Rachel said as she placed a hand on her daughters tummy giving it a gentle squeeze. Charlotte looked up at Quinn and let out a contented gurgle, as if informing her mother that 'yes' she would be there.

Quinn chuckled before raising Charlotte up and giving her a soft kiss on the cheek as she held her tight, hugging her against her body. Rachel beamed at her girls, until she saw Quinn's face turn to a grimace. "What's the matter?" she asked as she stood up to stretch her legs. "I think Charlie just left me a gift down my back," Quinn groaned as her wife glanced over her shoulder and laughed at the baby sick that was in fact leaving a trail down Quinn's cardigan. Rachel reached down and took Charlotte up into her arms, "You should know better than to hug a baby after they're been fed, isn't that right baby?" Rachel said in a baby voice as she made her way out of the room. "Thanks for the help," Quinn called out as she stood up and whimpered as she tried to remove the offending item of clothing. "Welcome to parenthood," she mumbled under her breath.

**Teenagers can be so cruel. But as Quinn has proved, fear can make us do crazy things in a moment of weakness, but at least she's learned from her mistakes.**

**In response to whether or not there will be happy tears or sad tears, all I will say is that I have two endings planned out for this story, and that it the overall outcome of these endings, will be how I intended this story to end from the moment I sat down to right it. **

**Before I go, just want to give a special shout out to all my loyal reviewers who have been following and commenting on this story over the course of the year, you know who you are, you review every chapter and I appreciate it so much from the bottom of my heart.**

**And special thanks to Phoenix 2013 for all those PM convos, and for helping me to make the tough decisions that we writers sometimes feel when developing our stories. Thank you so much. **


	36. Chapter 33

**Hey everyone. Update! Thanks again for all the reviews I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoy this one. Just a little fluffy chapter. I hope you like it.**

The one thing about being back in New York that Rachel had never realised she would hate, was the whole 'city that never sleeps' thing. I mean sure, it was great when she was living it up, loving her job and having late nights out with her wife and friends when they had the novelty of being two young women with no responsibilities outside of work. But when you throw a new born into the mix, you being to realise just how precious the quiet can be, and that was something Rachel was desperately beginning to miss about Lima.

Charlotte was an angel, she slept most of the night and she rarely cried, however, the little girl was having a tough time adapting to her new environment. It was different to what she had become accustomed to in Lima, which was quieter and less fussy, but at only one month old, even the slightest of changes can be huge so her mother's didn't begrudge her those little moments were she just needed to cry, even if it was at two o'clock in the morning. Although Rachel and Quinn had become used to it at this point so they would often rotate feeding duties for the three a.m session.

Sleep deprivation was also something Rachel was beginning to get used to. At first it sucked, like really sucked, but Quinn was often quick to remind her that Charlotte wouldn't be a baby forever and that usually made her more grateful to be able to experience those early morning moments, even if she was desperate for just one long nights rest. Luckily, she had a wife who was very hands on and who would encourage her to take naps in the afternoon while the blonde spent quality time with their daughter, before heading off for a night shoot in down town New York. Sure the system may have been a little hectic at times, but it worked for them.

So here Rachel stood in their spacious living area, overlooking her favourite city in the world as she nursed a cup of coffee in her hands. Decaf obviously, since the diva was unwilling to put any 'toxins' in her body that could alter the natural milk in her body where her daughter got all her nutrients from. She would have given it up completely, but quickly figured out that just having the taste of coffee was enough to sustain her, even if it didn't give her that buzz she loved. Glancing at the clock she noted that it was ten a.m, Charlie was due a feeding.

Walking back towards the kitchen, she dumped the cup in the sink to be washed and then made her way down towards the master bedroom. Charlie had woken up earlier and Rachel had scooped her up and rocked her for a little bit to send her back to sleep. The problem was, the diva couldn't manage to do the same thing, so, she decided to stay up and get some housework done. Rachel placed Charlie onto the middle of the huge king size bed next to her slumbering wife and admired the sight of her two girls sleeping next to each other, it made her heart swell. Not wanting to take the risk of Quinn rolling over and crushing their infant daughter, the diva picked up one of the heavy throw pillows and placed it in between mother and daughter, knowing that the obstruction would wake Quinn up if she began to toss or turn.

That had been an hour and a half ago and when she entered the room she was greeted by the sweetest vision she had ever seen. Quinn had turned over and removed the pillow and was now cradling Charlotte close to her on the bed, a protective arm wrapped carefully around the baby holding her in place tucked snugly against her bigger frame, like a human blanket, the blondes pressed against the tiny brunette's temple. It was the most adorable sight. With as much stealth as she could manage, Rachel reached for Quinn's camera that was sitting on top of their dresser and picked it up, snapping multiple pictures of the scene from different angles, some in colour, some in black and white. Quinn would love those pictures when she saw them.

Moving over towards the bed she gently slipped in next to her family and softly stroked her fingers up and down Quinn's forearm that was wrapped around the baby. Within seconds, hazel eyes began to flutter open at the sensation, and once they registered the image that was in front of her, a smile adorned her face. "Morning," Quinn managed through a slightly slurred, sleep filled voice as she lifted her head from the pillow. Rachel smiled back and ran her fingers through her wife's messy bed head. "Morning Sleeping Beauty," she replied as she leaned back against the headboard.

It took Quinn a moment to gather her bearings and once she did, she turned to face the baby that was still snuggled against her. Freeing her arm that was trapped beneath her own body, she gently slipped it under Charlotte's tiny frame and when both arms were holding the baby securely, she lifted her daughter from the bed and laid her against the her chest, before sitting up against the headboard. "You know I could really get used to this whole family thing," Quinn said with a cheeky grin. Rachel just shook her head before running a hand up and down Charlottes back.

"Good to know cause I'd really hate to have to kick you out of home," she replied earning a playful slap on the shoulder from Quinn. Rachel leaned across and kissed her wife sweetly on the lips before leaning down and placing a kiss on Charlotte's cheek. Quinn smiled and then straightened up. "Hey what do say we go to the zoo? I know Charlie's not old enough to really understand what's going on, and she'll probably sleep through the entire thing, but, I dunno, I just think it would be nice you know," Quinn said with a shrug of her shoulders, her eyes gazing lovingly at her daughter.

"I think that sounds amazing," Rachel beamed making Quinn look up and smile, feeling a little less ridiculous for even suggesting it. "How about you jump in the shower and get dressed while I feed Charlotte and then when you're done, you change her and I'll get ready and then we'll have breakfast together," Rachel said as she twirled a strand of Quinn's blonde hair around her finger. Quinn leaned in brushing their noses together and smiling. "Sounds great," the blonde replied as she gently passed her daughter off to her wife and climbed off the bed and headed to their en-suite.

Rachel made her way to the nursery and sat down in the rocking chair with her daughter, opening her shirt she raised Charlie's head to her breast and the little girl instantly latched on. Once Rachel was sure that her daughter was feeding, she began to sing to her.

_In my daughter's eyes I am a hero_

_I am strong and wise and I know no fear_

_But the truth is plain to see_

_She was sent to rescue me_

_I see who I wanna be_

_In my daughter's eyes_

_In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal_

_Darkness turns to light and the_

_world is at peace_

_This miracle God gave to me gives me_

_strength when I am weak_

_I find reason to believe _

_In my daughter's eyes_

_And when she wraps her hand_

_around my finger_

_Oh it puts a smile in my heart_

_Everything becomes a little clearer_

_I realize what life is all about_

_It's hangin' on when your heart_

_has had enough_

_It's giving more when you feel like giving up_

_I've seen the light_

_It's in my daugter's eyes_

_In my daughter's eyes I can see the future_

_A reflection of who I am and what will be_

_Though she'll grow and someday leave_

_Maybe raise a family_

_When I'm gone I hope you see how happy_

_she made me_

_For I'll be there_

_In my daughter's eyes_

Fresh out of the shower and dressed for the day, Quinn made her way out of the bedroom and once she was in the hallway she heard her wife's voice floating towards her looking a soothing wave of warmth. Stopping at the doorway to her daughter's nursery, she leaned up against the door frame and crossed her arms over her chest, her heart full of pride and love at the image of her wife and daughter in one of those beautiful natural moments. Quinn never believed she could love Rachel more than she already did, but when she saw her like this, she fell deeper and deeper for the woman who captured her heart when they were so young, the woman who Quinn was sure would own it for the rest of her life.

However Rachel did have some stiff competition, because Quinn was hopelessly in love with the little girl currently resting in her wife's arms. Even after a month of actually having baby Charlotte in her life, it still surprised her how strong her motherly instincts and feelings were. It didn't matter where she was or what she was doing, Charlie was always on her mind. She was so completely consumed by the love she felt for this tiny human she couldn't help but think she was the luckiest woman on the planet.

When Rachel had finished singing, Quinn stood from the doorway and walked across the room. "Showers free," she said as she bent over and softly stroked the dark tufts of brown hair on her daughters head. Charlie grunted at the sensation before a tiny hand reached up with an open palm. Having seen what the baby was doing, Quinn chuckled before bring her hand down away from her daughter's hair and watched as Charlie latched her tiny hand around her pointer finger. The baby released what sounded like a contented sigh now that she had a hold of both her mom's.

It wasn't long after when Charlotte decided she'd had enough and was quickly being deposited into Quinn's arms. Rachel didn't bother doing up her buttons again, knowing the shirt would be coming off when she jumped in the shower. Quinn grinned at the sight of her wife's bare breasts on display and couldn't help asking her wife a rather playful question. "Hey babe, not that I don't love how beautiful it is seeing you provide for our daughter like that, but when exactly does Charlie stop her free pass to your boobs and return them to me. I mean don't get me wrong fondling them is great but there are a lot of other things I'd really like to do to them right now," Quinn said with a lick of her lips for added emphasis.

Rachel just sent the blonde a mock glare swotting her on the backside as she exited the nursery. Quinn watched her just watched her go, "So soon then right?" she called out and smiled when she heard her wife's light laughter disappearing down the hall. Walking over to the baby changing table that was positioned just next to the door close adjacent the crib, Quinn laid Charlotte down and unbuttoned her cute little onsie. Opening up Charlie's diaper Quinn was surprised how tame it was compared to some of the other diapers she'd had to change over the weeks.

"I'm glad to see someone's giving Mommy a break," Quinn joked as she tickled Charlie on the chest earning a little grunt from the tiny tot. Quickly cleaning her daughter up, Quinn carried Charlie into the adjoining bathroom so she could give her daughter a quick wash. Filling the huge sink with warm water and baby bubble bath, just enough to cover the base, Quinn tested the water with her free hand before gently lowering Charlotte into the water. The little girl kicked her legs for a moment at the feeling of the water, but eventually she settled down against Quinn's arm as her mother gently splashed some water up against her tummy.

"Yeah you like that huh," Quinn cooed with a soft smile. Picking up the baby sponge, the blonde placed it in the water and soaked it, bringing it back up and slowly rubbing it against Charlie's skin. As her mother continued her ministrations, the little girl took it upon herself to strike up a conversation, her little grunts and gurgles making her mommy laugh. "Just like you're Mama huh baby, always talking," she said as she dropped the sponge and tapped Charlotte on the nose. "And that's one of the reasons I fell in love with her," Quinn sighed. Lifting her daughter out of the water, the blonde laid her on a towel and dried her off before wrapping it around her and carrying her back into the room and laying her down on the baby changing mat.

After applying some baby powder, Quinn picked up a fresh diaper and put it on her little girl before proceeding to change her daughter from the clothes stashed in the drawer built into the changing table. It was a little chilly out so Quinn had picked out a pair of denim dungarees with a little bear sewn into the bottom of the left leg, a white sweater top underneath and some cute little booties to keep her feet warm. "You are just little cutie pie," Quinn smiled as she picked Charlie up and carried her out of the room, holding her securely against her chest. Walking into the kitchen, Quinn beamed at the sight of Rachel cooking breakfast. Stepping around the kitchen island she came to a stop next to her wife and pecked her on the cheek.

"Smells great babe," Quinn said as she gazed at the eggs benedict Rachel had made just for her and the tomato and basil omelette she'd made for herself. During the pregnancy, the diva had found it difficult maintaining a strictly vegan diet, so she'd decided to cut back to vegetarianism instead. That way she got her dairy products, however she made sure they were all from free range farms. Smiling at Quinn, Rachel picked up both plates and carried them to the dining table where fresh orange juice, toast, and fruit salad were already waiting.

Placing Charlotte down in the play crib in the living area, she turned on the overhead mobile and made her way to the dining table. Sitting down she placed a napkin over lap and leaned over and pecked Rachel on the lips. Taking a bite of the food she moaned in appreciation, she loved her wife's cooking. "Sweetie this is amazing, thank you," she said before taking another bite. Rachel smiled back and took a sip of her juice. "Honey you don't need to thank me, I love taking care of you." The girls engaged in easy conversation as they finished breakfast, before Quinn called for a car to take them to the Central Park Zoo and Rachel gathered together a day bag for Charlotte.

Once Charlotte had been placed securely into her stroller, Rachel placed the baby body carrier in the little compartment underneath, in case her daughter got fussy and wanted to be carried instead. Quinn emerged from the hallway with two coats, putting hers on first, she then picked up her wife's and held it open for Rachel to step into. "Thanks babe," Rachel said as she fluffed out her hair. Picking up keys, phones and of course her camera, Quinn made her way to the door and held it open for Rachel and the stroller. Just as she was about to leave, she turned and jogged back to the kitchen, picked up a dog treat and placed in Arthur's bed, scratching behind his ear and making sure he had fresh water before finally leaving the apartment.

The car ride to the park had been surprisingly quick, considering New York traffic. Once they hit their destination, the driver had taken the liberty of removing and unfolding Charlotte's stroller so that Quinn and Rachel weren't standing around too long to be noticed. After thanking the driver and arranging to be picked up at two o'clock, the girls set off towards the zoo, basking in the moment of their first family day out. As Rachel pushed the stroller, Quinn wrapped her arm around her wife's waist. "This is nice," she smiled giving Rachel a little squeeze while staring down at her daughter. Rachel smiled up at her briefly before refocusing on the path ahead.

"It is. I hope it's always like this, you know, you me, Charlie, just being able to relax and enjoy quality time. I mean, I know there's gonna be moments were the press or the paparazzi intrude on us, but, as long as we have these moments where we're just a normal family, I think we can deal with it," Rachel said with a shrug of her shoulders. Quinn nodded in understanding, realistically it wasn't always going to be possible for them to hide Charlotte away, but as long as she had a relatively normal up-bringing and could do the things other kids were able to do then, Rachel was right, they could deal with it.

"Of course we can, and I promise, I will do everything I can to make Charlotte has as normal an up-brining as possible, and that we," Quinn trailed off hugging her wife into her side, get to have as many of these moments as we can." Rachel leaned into Quinn's side and smiled. She loved how safe and secure being in Quinn's arms made her feel. It was like the world outside their happy little bubble didn't exist, nothing could hurt them.

Their little stroll finally brought them to the entrance of the zoo and luckily for them, Quinn had had the good idea to all ahead to inform them they would be stopping by, so they were quickly shown inside and once passed the gat they were offered a complimentary family snap from the zoo's local photographer, although Rachel insisted they pay. Even though they were rich and often received gift baskets or freebies, neither girl felt entitled and preferred to pay their way. Something they hoped to instil within Charlotte as she got older. They wanted her to understand the value of a dollar rather than becoming one of those spoiled rich kids.

After having their family picture taken and printed out, both Quinn and Rachel posed separately for pictures that the staff could pin to their visitor's wall, sort of as a thank you for their hospitality. They then set off on the little excursion around the park. Quinn was in her element snapping pictures of the sea lions, the polar bears, the red pandas, the penguins, the emerald tree boas to name just a few. She even captured some pictures of Rachel and Charlotte gazing at the animals and her wife head traded places numerous times so Quinn had pictures of herself with their daughter.

"Hey did you take these?" Quinn asked, she had just scanned through her memory card and stumbled upon the pictures of herself asleep with Charlotte in her arms. Rachel smiled and nodded her head. "I took them this morning you guys just looked so cute together, I couldn't resist." Quinn beamed at the pictures, she really did love them. "I want to get this one printed out and framed," Quinn said with pride at the black and white picture staring back at her. Whatever way Rachel caught the light coming through the window, it just illuminated the image of Quinn and Charlotte, perfectly illustrating the contrast in Quinn's blonde hair and Charlie's dark locks.

Another hour passed and the girls were ready to head home, however a call from Puck had informed the girls that the paps had caught on to the twitter sightings of the girls and they were waiting for them outside the zoo. Quinn called the driver and told him to meet them at the exit he had dropped them off at. "Are you okay to push Charlie in the stroller or should we carry her?" Quinn asked, trying to figure out the best way to get their daughter out of there with as little stress as possible. Rachel thought about it for a second, glancing down at the baby in the stroller.

"Can you carry her? I'd feel better if you were shielding her. They tend to listen to you when you tell them to back off," Rachel reasoned as she bit down on her lower lip, glancing up at her wife who was nodding her head in understanding. It was true what the diva said, the paparazzi really did listen more to Quinn, mainly because she had a fierce dominating presence and that old HBIC glare that could a person's blood run cold. "Of course," Quinn replied as she stashed away her phone and handed Rachel off her camera.

Reaching under the stroller Quinn picked up the baby carrier and strapped it to her body with the help of her wife. Once all the straps were securely set, Rachel, having put away her wife's camera, reached into the stroller and lifted baby Charlotte into her arms and transferred her into the carrier. Once she was safely settled, Quinn made sure that her daughters cap was on and the hood of her little coat was up to shield her face from the glare of the cameras that would be waiting for them before they set off for the exit.

Walking out of the Central Park Zoo, the girls were ambushed by a wave of flashing lights and men screaming their name, fighting each other for the best angle to try and sneak a shot of the new 'Fababy' as the media had dubbed the little girl. Rachel walked slightly ahead, using the stroller as method to force the paps out of their path while Quinn followed behind, trying to sooth a distressed Charlotte who was having a hard time dealing with all the shouting and flashing lights, the scene proving to overwhelming for the tiny tot who was trying to bury herself into her mother's chest.

"Sssh, it's okay baby girl, I've got you," Quinn whispered trying to calm her child, her arms wrapping a little tighter around Charlotte. Rachel who was worried for her daughter and annoyed that these grown men didn't have the decency to respect the boundaries of a small child lost what little patients she had left. "Guys seriously can you back up! We just want to get to our car," she shouted, drawing most of the attention towards, so what if it earned her a spot on TMZ later, at the very least it was taking the heat of her daughter and that's all that matter.

As soon as they hit the sidewalk they were greeted by the sight of their driver walking towards them and taking a hold of the stroller. After Rachel explained to him how it folded, he tucked it away along with the girls other belongings as the girls jumped into the car to get away from prying eyes. "Well, we almost got away without being spotted, at least they didn't arrive until the end of our day out," Rachel said jokingly as she glanced over at Quinn who chuckled lightly. "How's our girl?" Rachel asked as she peeked around the carrier still attached to her wife.

"She's okay, a little spooked but she'll be fine. She just needs a little cuddle," Quinn replied as she dropped a kiss to Charlie's head before turning to face her wife. "I can't wait to get home and just, relax," Rachel sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "Me too," Quinn replied as she ran a hand up and down her daughters back, cradling her close and inhaling that baby scent she loved so much. The day may not have ended like they'd hoped, but at least she had a camera full of memories, and that was worth the small bump in their otherwise perfect day.

**So I hope you liked it, please review I love hearing your thoughts. The song in the chapter is 'In My Daughter's Eyes' by Martina McBride. **

**The next chapter will probably be set around Christmas where Nicole will make her return, this will be the last light hearted chapter before I delve into some more angsty stuff. So enjoy the fun while it lasts.**

**Also, reward time. How would you like to appear in the story? I'm gonna give one lucky loyal reader/reviewer the chance to make an appearance in the next chapter. All you have to do is message me a general idea of your appearance for writing purposes and an idea of how or what your "character" will be doing. It's that simple. I'd prefer if people PM'd me if they want to appear, but if you can't PM me just leave it in the review section.**

**Until next time **


	37. Chapter 34

**Update! Whoo! Again thank you all for the reviews, follows and favourites and I hope you enjoy it. **

The thing about not being able to walk or talk was that you had a lot of time to just lie around and people watch. You can learn a lot about people by simply observing them and Charlotte had learned a lot in her four short months. Like for instance, her Mommy was a very laid back relaxed lady who liked to read a lot, especially to her, which was really nice cause she got to hear about Goldie Locks and those three bears who didn't seem too happy to have her hanging out at their house and eating their food and about the Snow White girl who lived with really small old men.

Her favourite was the one about the girl who fell down the rabbit hole and met a guy with a mad hat, or was that a mad guy with lots of hats? Anyways that one was her favourite and her Mommy read it to her a lot because that was her favourite book too when she was a kid, she especially liked it when her mom made all those funny voices while she read to her that made it all the more enjoyable and usually made her very sleepy. It was great, and her Mommy also really liked to cuddle, which was something Charlotte really enjoyed when she was ready for bed needed those quiet moments to settle down.

Then there was her Mama, who was completely different. Her Mama liked to sing a lot which was great because she had a really pretty voice and every time she sang, it made Charlotte happy, and it made other people happy. In fact her Mama's voice always made her Mommy smile really big which was something only Charlotte or her Mama could do. She also learned that her parents really liked to kiss a lot, like _a lot_. They would kiss each other good morning and good night, they would kiss each other hello and goodbye, they never really seemed to stop. Charlotte didn't really get why they did it so much, but her Mom's seemed to like it so she supposed it was okay.

There was also her aunts and uncles, which little Charlotte seemed to have an endless supply of. Her aunts Brittany and Santana were her favourite, Brittany always played silly games with her and made funny faces and danced around, and Santana was always talking about how she would go 'All Lima Heights' if anyone messed with her niece. Charlotte didn't know where Lima Heights was, but from what she knew about it, it seemed pretty rough. But she loved her aunty Tana cause she always gave her presents and cuddled her when her mommy's were out on a play date and couldn't be there to cuddle her instead.

Uncle Puck was her favourite uncle cause he liked to play her silly songs on his guitar, including a song called 'Lesbian Seagulls' which he said he would teach her when she could talk so she could sing it to her Mom's. They also watched sports together, now Charlotte didn't know a whole lot about sports, I mean she was only four months old, but from what she gathered they usually involved grown men either kicking balls, throwing balls, hitting balls or dribbling balls. They also had really pretty ladies who danced and could kick their legs really high.

She learned from uncle No-No that they were cheerleaders, and that her Mommy and her aunties Tana and Bee used to be cheerleaders when they were younger. According to her uncle No-No, her Mommy's flexibility and acrobatics were what made her Mama fall in love with her. Charlotte didn't know what flexibility or acrobatics were, but she assumed they were a good thing if they made her Mama fall in love with her Mommy. Maybe she'd be flexible and acrobatic one day and someone would fall in love with her? That's how love works right? Grown-up stuff was confusing. Sucking your fingers all day and playing roll over with Arthur seemed like more fun anyways, although Charlotte could only manage the lying on her back bit, but Arthur did the rolling over for her which she thought was funny.

Charlotte also had all her other aunts and uncles, like Finn who could lift her up really high, like REALLY high. Uncle Kurt liked to play dress up with her, though Charlotte suspected that was a game more for Uncle Kurt than herself. Aunt Mercedes talked a lot about singing, she was like her Mama in that way and Uncle Sam liked to make weird voices by people Charlotte had never heard of. What exactly is Na'vi? It sounded an awful lot like somebody put Dora on rewind. Uncle Blaine was fun, she loved to tug on his bowties and watch how he put it back together again. Charlotte just couldn't figure out how one piece of material was able to fold into a bow.

Uncle Mike and aunt Tina were fun, they always put on little shows for her since they both worked on stage. Of course there was also her uncle Ben, now he was a lot of fun. Ben was kind of like a little puppy dog, he had a lot of energy and Charlotte's Mama would often reprimand him for being naughty. He did promise to teach little Charlie how to surf when she was older, which was great cause apparently the ocean had even more water than the bath and there was nothing the little girl loved more than a bath, all that splashing around and the bubbles, oh she loved the bubbles. Every day was just full of people of different shapes and sizes, but none of them were a patch on her mom's.

On this particular day, Charlotte found herself lying in her swing chair glancing around the room as her mother's merrily decorated their apartment for the Christmas season. Her Mama had given her a burble to hold onto since she seemed fascinated by the little round decorations, and then sang her a song about a snowman called Frosty. She didn't quite get why her parents were so excited, or why they were decorating a tree in their house when they could have easily went to the park, the park had loads of trees, but she figured she'd just go with the flow. Anyways she had bigger fish to fry, some big guy in a red suit was coming soon and she was getting presents. Maybe he knew her aunty Tana, she liked to give her lots of gifts too.

"She might look like me, but I swear, Charlie grows more like you personality wise every day," Rachel chuckled as she glanced at her daughter's contemplative look as she gazed around at all the activity going on around her. Quinn turned to her wife from fixing the ornaments on the tree with a raised eyebrow, "How do you mean more like me?" she asked wondering what exactly her daughter was doing. Rachel put down the fairy lights she had been trying to untangle. "Look at her, she has that same look on her face you get when you're thinking or being all brooding and cute," Rachel replied.

Quinn turned around to glance at her daughter and sure enough she was sitting there all cute and pensive as she gazed from the burble to Arthur who was lying next to her swing chair, probably wondering whether or not he would retrieve the little festive ball if she threw it, or attempted to throw it since she didn't have the strength or co-ordination to actually do it. She had to admit, she loved that her daughter was picking up on some of her mannerisms, it was almost enough to make her believe that half of her was somewhere in the little girl, in spirit if not in DNA. Not that it mattered to Quinn, blood meant nothing in a family of there was no love or support, and their family had it in spades. If how much you loved a child made you a parent, then there was no denying that Quinn was Charlotte's mother, because she loved her more than life itself.

A knock at the door broke the women from their festive decorating and Rachel padded her way across the penthouse suite to reach the door before opening it to greet their visitor. "Oh my God, Nic, how are you?" Rachel squealed, seeing her college friend for the first time in months. The taller brunette stepped inside and pulled the diva into a bone crushing hug before releasing her with a beaming smile. "I'm great. I just got in from London, the play I'm working on is doing fantastic so I figured I might as well head home for the holidays and catch up with my family and friends and meet this daughter of yours," she said playfully prodding Rachel in the stomach.

Quinn who had heard the entire exchange, walked over to her daughter and gathered her up into her arms, softly patting down the back of her hair to fix it of its unruly state as she walked towards the door to meet her college friend. Nicole noticed the blonde walking towards her and her face melted into an adoring smile as she caught sight of the adorable infant gazing at her with uncertainty in her eyes. Unlike her Mama, Charlotte was a little uneasy around people until she got to know them, taking some time to get comfortable in their presence. This worried Rachel at first, having grown up quite the people person, but Quinn assured her that Charlotte was just a cautious child and would probably grow out of it.

"Oh my gosh, she's beautiful," she sighed once Quinn was standing next to her. Charlotte bashfully rested her head against her mother's shoulder, making her mother giggle at her cuteness. "She's a little shy, don't worry she's like this with everyone she's just met," Quinn said as she wrapped her arm around Charlotte hugging her and gently encouraging her out of her shell. Rachel stood back and guided everyone into the living room, thanking Nicole, who handed her a gift bag for Charlotte. Opening up the bag, the diva gushed over the little Burberry coat staring back at her before taking it out and showing it off to her wife. "Nic it's gorgeous, thank you," Rachel said as she tucked it away.

"Sorry I couldn't come see you guys after the birth, things got a little crazy in London with the show opening up," Nic explained, smiling when Charlotte, who was resting on Quinn's knee next to the brunette on the couch, accepted the finger being offered to her to shake. This was the little girl beginning to open up, usually she just needed to have one of her mom's nearby to make her feel safe in her environment and with the people around her and eventually she warmed up to her surroundings. "Hi there cutie pie," Nicole said as she gently shook the little hand wrapped around her finger.

Charlotte beamed up at the new person sitting next to her, her smile earning a look of awe from the lady who seemed to know her parents quite well. Rachel plopped herself down on the coffee table in front of where her wife and friend were sitting, Arthur coming to rest at her feet. "So Nic, you gonna be around for the New Year's? Santana's hosting a shindig at her house, Ben's flying in, you should come," Rachel suggested as her attention turned to Charlotte who was calling out for her attention.

"You know what, I think I will. Why not? Not like I've got any better offers," Nicole responded with a sarcastic tone, Quinn giggling at her while Rachel smacked her on the knee. "No but seriously, it's great to see you both again, and I'm so happy for you guys, this little one is adorable," Nicole said as she watched Quinn carefully deposit her daughter into her wife's waiting arms. "Looks like somebody is ready for bed," Rachel cooed as Charlotte released a yawn. "I'm gonna go change her and put her down for the night. Say night-night," Rachel coaxed, gently waving one of her daughters hands towards Nicole.

Quinn smiled and stood up moving towards her wife and leaned down to place a kiss on her daughters head. "Goodnight baby, sweet dreams." With one last kiss on the cheek, Rachel stood up and made her way to the nursery, leaving Quinn and Nicole to catch up, though rather briefly. They'd only just made themselves comfortable on the couch when the brunette was checking the time and declaring that she had to leave. "Already, but you just got here?" Quinn whined making Nicole laugh. "I know but I gotta get up early tomorrow to catch a flight to Boston to see my folks. But I'll be back for New Year's, promise," the brunette said, taking in the happiness radiating off her friend.

"Family life really suits you Fabray, I've never seen you this happy. I'm so glad everything worked out for you and Rachel," Nicole smiled at the blush the was creeping up Quinn's cheeks before nudging herself from the couch and standing up, brushing out the creases in her skirt. "It was great seeing you Nic. Try not to leave it too long to visit again," Quinn said as she stood up and pulled the brunette into a hug. Once the pulled away, Quinn showed Nicole out and returned to the living room, glancing around at the almost finished Christmas tree and huffed out a breath. "Meh, I'll finish it tomorrow."

Upon entering her bedroom, Quinn was greeted by the sight of her wife who was standing in front of the full length mirror in nothing but her bra and panties. It had been four months since the diva had given birth but she was already getting back her pre pregnancy body, though it had taken some time for Rachel to get back to her normal morning routine. The caesarean had add a number of weeks to her recovery so the brunette had had to wait a little while before even thinking about taking back on her morning jog. However once she was given the go ahead by the doctor, she was back pounding the pavement of the park and her body was reaping the benefits.

Rachel ran the pad of her finger along the scar on her bikini line, the mark had healed nicely but Rachel was still a little insecure about it. The diva had even been a little reluctant sleeping with her wife for the first time since after the birth, but Quinn had been so encouraging, telling her how beautiful she was and showering her with love and attention, making her feel special and wanted. It had almost been like their first time together and Rachel couldn't have imagined it being anything but special with Quinn.

The blonde, having watched her wife's gaze linger on the scar long enough, moved swiftly across the room and came to a stop behind her half naked wife, her arms wrapping around tan skin, her hands resting upon the smaller one's resting on her wife's lower abdomen, their bodies resting flesh against one another and Quinn began peppering the diva's neck and shoulder with feather light kisses. "You, are beautiful," kiss, "gorgeous," kiss, "incredibly sexy," kiss "and I am the luckiest woman in the world to be able to call you mine," Quinn hushed against soft skin before twirling Rachel around and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss, making the brunette smile.

"Even with my big Jewish nose and scars?" Rachel asked as she rested the palms of her hands against the blonde's chest. Quinn just gazed at her with the most serious look, her eyes shining with the moisture of unshed tears, completely flabbergasted that a woman as beautiful as her wife could be so insecure. Leaning down she pressed a kiss to Rachel's nose before burying her face in dark locks, breathing in the scent that was uniquely her wife. "I love you more because of them, because they make you, _you_. Because they tell a story that no words can tell. Every line, every crease, every sparkle in your eye, they tell me everything I need to know about Rachel Fabray."

Quinn then trailed her hand down the front of her wife's body, fingers caressing every inch of skin, as they reached their destination, softly stroking the scar that made the blonde's heart swell with such love and joy, she couldn't believe anyone could be turned off by it. "This one right here, this is my favourite. You know why? Because this used to be our daughters home, the place where you carried her, and nurtured her before bringing her into the world and making my life that much more complete. And for that, I think it's one of the most beautiful parts of you."

Rachel gazed up into bright hazel eyes and melted under the warmth of the gaze, this was exactly why Quinn Fabray was the love of her life. Because she understood her like no one else could. Because she made her feel things no one else could make her feel, and because she was devoted to Rachel and their daughter so completely. Quinn always told her that her life was complete because she had her and Charlotte, and Rachel felt exactly the same way, in fact without Quinn and their daughter, Rachel didn't have a life. Simple as that.

"Make love to me?" Rachel asked as she ran a hand through her wife's blonde hair, before resting her head against her Quinn's chest and placed a soft kiss against her clavicle, sending shivers done her wife's spine and arousal coursing through her body as small hands began to roam under the hem of Quinn's shirt. The blonde nuzzled her nose against the diva's temple, her arms rubbing soothing circles against the skin of her wife's back. "Baby, you never have to ask," she whispered against the shell of Rachel's ear, and guiding her wife to their bed she laid her down and lavished the body beneath her with the adoration she believed it deserved. All through the night.

The following morning brought rest and relaxation to the Fabray household, well at least for couple of hours before Charlotte got a little antsy and Rachel decided they should get out of the house to which Quinn was more than enthusiastic about, quickly loading up a new memory card into her camera, hoping to get some nice shots of Charlotte enjoying her first ever snow fall. Central Park was like a winter wonderland around Christmas. Buttoning up in their winter best, making sure Charlotte was well wrapped up and secure of the cold New York weather, the girls set off, hoping that their scarves and hats would be enough to keep them fairly unrecognisable.

Sure they could easily call Puck and have him accompany them, but since he had started actually dating, they wanted him to have some free time to enjoy himself. Although he was an employee, he was also a friend and he deserved to have some down time, just like they did. Having reached their destination, Rachel took over the steering of the stroller, while Quinn indulged in her favourite past time, photography. She loved it, and more importantly, she was very, very good at it. When they reached a park bench, Rachel pulled to a stop and put the brakes on the stroller and reaching inside to lift her daughter out so she could see all the snow and the kids building snowmen.

"Look baby, isn't that pretty," Rachel said as she pulled down Charlotte's hood and Quinn placed a warm woollen cap on her head instead, giving her a better view of everything, and her eyes light up as the gazed around in wonder at all the white powder. While Rachel walked onto the snow covered grass to feel the crunch of the snow beneath her feet, Quinn began snapping away, loving all the little expressions that crossed her daughters face as she absorbed the world around her. It was amazing to see her child growing and taking in the world around her, learning something new every single day.

Turning around, Quinn noticed another keen photographer a few feet away who was also engaging her passion for photography. The girl was about 5'5, with brown hair and pale green eyes, almost grey, depending on the way the light caught them. She was pretty and Quinn, wanting to have some candid pictures of herself with her family, figured it was worth a shot asking the girl if she would take some pictures for her. Glancing at her wife and daughter, and seeing that they were content with enjoying the snow, Quinn made her over to the girl.

"Excuse me, Hi," Quinn said making her presence know, as the young woman was currently busy capturing another image, and the blonde couldn't help but admire the woman's choice in camera, a Leica M9, she was impressed. The girl finally turned around and her eyes went wide when she realised who was talking to her. "Oh my God, you're Quinn Fabray. I'm a huge fan of yours," she rushed out, blushing slightly when she noticed that she was speaking at about a hundred miles an hour. Quinn just chuckled lightly and nodded her head, used to flustered fans at this point in her career.

"Thank you. I was watching you from over there and saw you taking pictures, you a photographer? What's your name by the way?" the blonde asked hanging her camera from her neck. The girl shook her head and glanced down at the camera in her hands. "I'm Bethany. No, I just really love to take pictures. I hope to turn it into a career one day," she explained, nervously tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Quinn nodded her head and pointed to her camera, "Do you mind? Can I see some of your pictures?" she asked and couldn't help giggling a little at the shocked look that crossed the girls face. "No… I mean of course, yeah sure," the brunette said as she moved closer to Quinn, showing her the pictures she had taken while she'd been at the park.

"Wow, these are amazing," Quinn gushed her eyes scanned the pictures. When she walked up to the girl she had been expecting someone who was fairly decent with a camera, she didn't expect to stumble upon a young photo prodigy. The girl standing next to her couldn't help giggling like a little child, one of her idols was complimenting her. Quinn gazed over to her wife and daughter and thought for a second, before turning back to face the girl. "Hey, this probably seems a little crazy, but could you do something for me," she asked and when the girl nodded she, Quinn removed her camera from her shoulder and held it between them.

"Do you think you could take some candids of me and my family? I know you probably have other things to be doing but I'd really appreciate it," Quinn said, chewing on her lower lip in anticipation. The girls face broke into a beaming smile, "Of course, I'd love to," she said, carefully tucking her own camera away before picking up the bigger camera and putting the strap around her neck. Once she had familiarised herself with settings, she watched on as Quinn returned to her family and as soon as she caught the perfect moment, she began snapping away.

With every picture her smile got bigger, it was unusual getting to see celebrities acting so naturally, she felt like she was getting a behind the scenes look and it was a privilege. Before she knew it, the family was approaching her and she lowered the camera, removing the strap and handing it back to Quinn as soon as the blonde was standing in front of her. Rachel smiled appreciatively at the girl and waved. "Hi, I'm Rachel," the diva said, offering her hand which the girl was quick to shake.

Quinn who had been scrolling through the pictures smiled at the end result and looked up at Bethany, "Wow, these are amazing, than you so much," Quinn said, showing Rachel some of the pictures on the camera. "Is there any way I can repay you for these?" Quinn asked. Bethany shook her head, "No it's fine, just getting the opportunity to talk to you is enough of a dream come true for me," she said. Quinn dug into her purse and retrieved a piece of paper from a notepad she kept in their to sketch on when she was waiting around during meeting and wanted to occupy herself, and then pulled out a sharpie.

"At least let me give you an autograph, it's the least I can do," she said and when Bethany finally nodded her head, Quinn smiled and began signing the page, adding a little thank you note. Once Quinn was done, Bethany nervously glanced at Rachel, "Em, could I, do you mind?" she asked gesturing to the page, Rachel beamed, "Of course," she said taking the sharpie from her wife who held the page for her. As soon as she was done, Quinn handed the page to Bethany and the girls face lit up at the treasured piece of paper. "Thank you so much," she said.

"No thank you," Rachel said and her wife nodded. Charlotte, feeling like she'd been quiet long enough decided to make her presence known, making a little awing sound. "She's so cute," Bethany said smiling at the baby resting against the diva's shoulder, making both proud parents smile. Eventually people started recognising the girls, and wanting to get out of their before they had another incident like the zoo, Rachel looked at Quinn, "We should probably take her home and get her out of the cold. It was really nice meeting you Bethany."

Quinn nodded her head in understanding before giving Bethany a hug and thanking her again. After a one armed hug from Rachel the girl made her way off into the park to take more pictures, content in the knowledge she had met two of her biggest idols. "You ready to go?" Quinn asked and Rachel nodded placing her daughter back in her stroller and wrapping her up. Having put her camera away safely into its carrier bag, Quinn took a hold of the handles on the stroller while Rachel wrapped herself around her wife's arm as the blonde led her two girls home, basking in the joy that in just a few short hours, Santa Clause would be making his very first visit to their precious little girl. Life was good.

**So that was the last in the fluffy chapters, we will now be delving back into the angst, so get your tissues ready cause it's going to be quite emotional for both girls. **

**I'm not sure when the next update will be as I have a mountain of assignments to catch up on and really need to concentrate on getting them done before posting again so it may be two weeks or so. So I apologise in advance but I hope the fluff in this chapter is enough to compensate for that.**

**Please, leave a review, I love hearing what you think. Talk to you soon.**


	38. Chapter 35

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long. I just finished college so I found some time to update. Hope you like this chapter and again, thank you so much for the reviews. **

One of the great things about bringing a baby onto a movie set, is that there was usually a lot of people milling around who were more than happy to fawn over them and occupy them with little games of peek-a-boo or to read them stories. Sure Charlotte was still a little anxious and shy around new people, but with Rachel brining her to visit Quinn more and more often at work, she was beginning to familiarise herself with the surroundings and her mother's cast and crew mates. This was a delight for Quinn who loved having her wife and daughter with her while she was filming.

After work on the blonde's last movie had wrapped up, she found herself diving straight into a new project, this time a crime, action thriller. To say Rachel was enjoying the sight of her wife wearing her FBI uniform would be an understatement, in fact Quinn had found herself getting lucky on more than one occasion, at home, and in her trailer when Puck or Santana were around to babysit Charlotte. The movie was proving to have many benefits for the actress and the smile on her face had been a permanent fixture over the last few weeks.

The blonde was currently walking back towards the make-up trailer for touch ups. She had just finished shooting a fight scene where her character takes a bit of a beating from a suspect, so the prosthetics crew were waiting for her so they could apply the fake blood for the "cuts" above her eyebrow and on her lip. The team that were working on the movie were one of the best in the business so the process only took a matter of minutes, and after one more perfectly placed drop of blood, Quinn went from looking like one of Esquire magazines sexiest women alive, to an FBI agent in need of medical attention.

As Quinn relaxed in the make-up chair engaged in conversation with a couple of the other people in the trailer, the door opened to reveal her wife who was carrying their daughter on her hip. Turning around Quinn smiled at Rachel and stood up to greet her family. Charlotte, having finally noticed her mother walking towards her began to cry at the sight of the blood on her mommy's face. The tiny infant had recently suffered her first injury when she banged her head of the corner of Kurt's living room coffee table.

Charlotte had received a little cut on her forehead for her troubles and now associated the sight of blood with pain, the sight of her mother standing in front of her with her usually unblemished skin now caked in blood, was incredibly unsettling for the little girl. Quinn quickly reached out her arms for her wife to deposit their daughter in and once Rachel had handed her off, Quinn began bouncing her and placing gently kisses against her temple and forehead.

"Aww, no baby, it's okay," she cooed as she reached behind her and picked up one of the wipes the make-up crew used, reaching up she began to wipe away the fake blood, eyeing the prosthetics team and apologising, receiving a head nod from the guy who had worked with her to say he understood. "Look baby, see, all gone," Quinn said as Charlotte gazed at her curiously through bloodshot eyes as the "blood" was removed. The little girl reached up a chubby hand to touch her mother's face, as if checking to see that everything was actually okay.

"Mmmah," Charlotte said smacking her lips together. Quinn quickly caught on to what her daughter was saying and leaned her cheek down to her daughter who gave her one of those magical kisses that made everything all better. She figured if worked for her, it must work for her mommy's too. "Thank you baby," Quinn chuckled as she gave Charlotte another kiss. Turning her attention to Rachel, who was looking a little sheepish, Quinn took a step closer to her and pecked her wife on the lips. Rachel smiled and then stood back to run a hand through her daughters hair who had since calmed down sufficiently.

"Hey, sorry about that. If I'd known what you were doing in here I would have waited until after. Quinn just shook her head and waved off her wife's apology. "Don't worry about it, it's fine. I missed you guys anyways, and Paul can fix this up again in like five minutes," the blonde reasoned as she pulled her wife into a side hug, basking in the feeling of having both her girls in her arms. The moment was broken however when the directors assistant arrived at the door to inform Quinn she was due on set in 20 minutes. With a quick thank you and a groan when Rachel carefully extracted their daughter from her arms, Quinn quickly kissed her family goodbye, with the promise of travelling home with them once she'd completed the last shots of the day.

"Cute family," Paul said once Quinn had planted herself back in the make-up chair with a thud, the comment however had been enough to lighten her mood a little. "Thanks, what can I say, good genes major component in my family," Quinn remarked with a sarcastic grin, earning a few laughs from the make-up crew. "So, you ready to get made up, again?" Paul asked with a raised eyebrow, but rather than looking like a scolded child, Quinn gazed up at him challengingly with the famous Fabray eyebrow arch, making him stand down and return to work. _Oh yeah, I still got it,_ Quinn thought with a hint of a smile gracing her lips.

Back in Quinn's trailer, Rachel had just put Charlie down for a nap when the ringing of her cell phone broke her from her almost dazed state of mind. Glancing around briefly at her surroundings, she slowly stood up and walked over to the little dining nook where she'd left her phone. Recognising the number, she swiped the screen to answer the call and raised the phone to her ear. "Hello, Rachel Fabray speaking," she answered before listening to the voice at the end of the phone. Inhaling a deep breath the diva swallowed thickly and nodded her head before responding, "2:00 tomorrow, that, that's fine thank you. Bye."

Hanging up the call Rachel put a reminder in her appointments app on her phone and then slipped it into the back of her jeans. Turning on her heel, she walked over to the travel cot that sat at the back of the trailer and stood next to it gazing down at her sleeping daughter. Reaching down she gently ran her fingers through Charlotte's soft dark locks of hair and smoothed them down, a silent tear tracking its way down her cheek that she quickly brushed away. She needed to keep her emotions in check

At the sound of the trailer door opening, Rachel wiped away any remaining tear residue under her eyes and plastered on her best show face, no point worrying about the what if's just yet, she had other things to focus on. Turning around she smiled at her wife who was closing the door behind her and creeping across the length of the trailer to reach her family, trying her best not to wake the sleeping infant. Once Quinn had Rachel in arms reach she pulled her in for a hug and kissed her on the crook of her neck. Pulling back to look at the brunette, Quinn noticed something was off.

"Hey, you okay? You look like you've been crying," she stated as she reached up her hands and cupped the diva's face in her hands. Rachel watched the concerned look grow on her wife's face and nodded her, a lie already formulating itself in her head. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I was watching The Impossible on my iPad, you know how I get, cue the heart breaking music and I'm a mess," she managed through a forced laugh. "I guess it just made me really grateful for what we have," she finished, placing her hands against Quinn's chest. The blonde released a relieved sigh as she gently placed a kiss against the diva's forehead.

"What have I told you about watching those kinds of movies by yourself? They always get you worked up," Quinn sighed rubbing her hands up and down Rachel's arms before planting a kiss on her lips. The diva gave herself a mental high five for being so quick on her feet to come up with an excuse and then watched on with a soft smile as Quinn kneeled down beside the travel cot and placed her hand on Charlie's stomach rubbing soothing circles like she always did when it was her turn to put their little girl to sleep, before leaning down a placing a gentle kiss on her daughters forehead.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower before we go, can you call Puck and tell him we'll be ready leave in about 10?" Quinn asked as she got back to her feet and placed a hand on her wife's hip. Rachel nodded her head and removed her phone from her pocket and began dialling the number, while Quinn slipped off towards the shower in the built in bathroom. "Hey Puck, can you meet us with the car, Quinn's just jumping in the shower and there we're off," Rachel said down the line and listened for her friends response. "Okay, see you in a few," she replied before hanging up and placing her phone on the dining table and picking up her handbag.

Placing her iPad, phone and a few other items inside, she then packed up Charlotte's carrier bag and placed them both on the table alongside Quinn's bag. Walking over to the travel cot, Rachel gently laid her hand down on her daughter's chest and softly coaxed her from sleep. "Walk up sleepyhead, we're going home." Charlotte whimpered as she began to come round from her peaceful sleep, until Rachel lifted her into her arms and rocked her, giving her a moment to wake up and look around, knowing her little girl needed that few moments to leave behind the memories of her dreams.

Just as Charlotte settled down, Quinn emerged from the bathroom, dressed and ready to leave. Upon seeing her daughter gazing at her with a happy smile on her face, the blonde walked across the space that separated them and scrunched up her nose, nuzzling her it against Charlotte's making the little girl giggle and babble incoherently. The sound of a honking horn alerted the girls to Puck's arrival so Quinn turned to the table and gathered up her handbag and Charlotte's travel tote and then handed Rachel her bag, helping her wife to slip it on her shoulder.

As Rachel exited the trailer and headed to the car, Quinn glanced around one last time to make sure they had everything as she had a week long break from filming. With one final sweep, she stepped out and closed the door behind her walking over to the car and jumping in. Puck was turned in his seat pulling faces and making Charlotte laugh when she climbed in, much to her own amusement. Once he noticed her he looked up and gave her a head nod in hello. "Where to?" he asked turning around in his seat and pulling out onto the street. "Puck, we're going to Santana and Brittany's remember? Everyone's meeting up so they can give us the rundown on the wedding preparations for the weekend."

Puck grimaced when he realised he had in fact forgotten, something Santana warned him not to do if he wanted to keep his "boys" intact. Eyeing Rachel in the rear view mirror, he gave her a thank you look that made her chuckle. Once the car went silent, Charlotte let out a little squeal from her place in her car seat. Quinn giggled as Rachel leaned down and gave their daughter a little tickle on her tummy. "You excited to see everybody baby?" she asked in a high pitched excited voice, getting a happy smile from the little girl who was currently clutching her sock covered foot in both her hands having just tried to shove it in her mouth. Unfortunately toes didn't taste the same wrapped in cotton.

Pulling up to the underground car park in the Lopez-Pierce apartment block, Puck punched in the security code he had saved in his phone and once the gate was opened, entered and quickly found a parking spot. Rachel unbuckled Charlotte and lifted her out of her seat and climbed out of the car while Quinn grabbed the travel tote and the play mat out of the back of the car that Puck had put in earlier for this particular trip. Once everything was gathered up Puck locked up the car and they all headed to the elevator and headed straight up to the tenth floor.

Before they could even knock on the door to announce their arrival, Santana yanked it open and threw her hands in the air. "Bout damn time, any later and I would been married woman by now," the Latina exclaimed, though her biting tone softened dramatically when Charlotte emitted a joyful noise and raised her arms towards her auntie Tana. The raven haired girl quickly smiled back and lifted the small infant out of Rachel's arms and bounced her up and down. "Hey munchkin" she said in a playful tone.

"If I'd known bringing a baby along would have saved us from a Lima Heights lecture, I would have kidnapped that kid from Starbucks before we got here," Kurt could be heard saying from his place on the large couch next to Blaine, Tina and Mike. Santana turned and glared at him before stepping aside to let the girls and Puck to enter. Brittany bounced out of the kitchen and clapped her hands together when she saw Charlotte, waving briefly at Quinn and Rachel before taking the baby from Santana's arms.

"She is the most adorable thing ever," Blaine cooed from next to Kurt, Mike looked at him with a pleading expression on his face, "Please don't start serenading her with My Girl, again!" he said making Tina snort as she tried to hold back the laughter at Blaine's crestfallen expression. Quinn and Rachel sat down on the loveseat adjacent to the couch and Puck plopped himself down on the giant beanbag to the side of it, making himself comfortable. Santana and Brittany followed them and once everyone was settled Brittany place Charlotte in Quinn's lap.

"Okay, so the rehearsal dinner is Friday at 7pm sharp, all you losers better be there, and on time," Santana barked out as she ran through the mental list in her head. "Rachel and Puck, you're with me, Quinn and Mike, you're with Brittany. Blaine you are responsible for getting Charlotte down the aisle, Tina, you have Lord Tubbs," at this Tina rolled her eyes. Of course she would have to carry the largest cat in the state of New York. "Liza, you are responsible for seating since you practically organised this damn thing, and I'm pretty sure that's it," she finished placing her hands on her hips.

"My mom and Santana's are dropping the dresses and suits off in the morning. Santana's mom has the flower girl dress so I guess that means baby C is here at the apartment with you guys," Brittany said as she twirled the bracelet on her wrist, "so that means Tina's with us at the hotel us and Lord Tubbington." Quinn held back a laugh as she glanced over to the Asian girl who wasn't impressed at having to walk a cat up the aisle. Charlotte, who had quietly sitting in her mother's lap, suddenly started to whimper. Quinn turned her around to face her and held her against her chest.

"Looks like somebody's hungry," she said as she stood up and grabbed the travel tote of the dining table on the other side of the room, grabbing a bottle and heading to the kitchen to heat it up. Rachel watched on with a forlorn look on her face, clearly blocking out the conversation going on around her. Santana, who had been watching her couldn't help but be curious. Before she could say anything the diva stood up and excused herself as she made her way to the bathroom. After a minute or two, Santana also excused herself saying she had to make work related call.

Passing the bathroom, she noticed that the door was opened and unoccupied, so, turning on her heel she walked down the hallway and stopped when she noticed that the door to her office was open, the only room, other than the living room that had a balcony. Stepping inside, she noticed the diva standing outside with her arms wrapped around herself, if Santana was curious before, this just further heightened her curiosity. Closing the office door behind her, she walked across the distance that separated her from the balcony and made her way outside.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were hiding something," she said as came to stand next to the diva who was startled out of her thoughts. Glancing at the Latina, Rachel shook her head in the negative and focused back on the sights and sound of the city. "I'm fine, just needed some air is all," she replied as she raised a hand to grasp the heart pendent hanging from her necklace. The very necklace Quinn had given her as a gift after Charlottes birth. Unfortunately, Santana was well acquainted with Rachel's tell signs that gave when she was angry, sad or worried, and tugging on her chain was one of them.

"Cut the bullshit Rachel, this is me you're talking to. We're practically sisters you can tell me anything," Santana said as she stepped closer, leaning her hand on the rail of the balcony. Rachel couldn't hold back the tears as they escaped her eyes. Santana's eyebrows furrowed in concern as she stepped closer and rubbed soothing circles on her best friends back. "Hey, it's okay, whatever it is it can't be that bad," she reasoned. Rachel shook her and then lifted her hands to her face to wipe away her tears, breathing in and out slowly to calm down her racing heart.

"C'mon Rach, you can tell," Santana pleaded, and breathed a sigh of relief once Rachel nodded her head. The diva placed her hands atop the arms that holding her by the elbows, keeping her rooted to the spot. Finally gaining back her composure she gazed up at Santana with tear filled eyes. "The um, the doctor's appointment I had the other day, it eh, it found some, irregularities," she managed through shuddery breaths. Santana frowned, her heart racing as she took in what Rachel was telling her. "Wh-what kind of irregularities?" she asked, fearing the answer. Rachel chewed on her bottom lip before licking it and soothing it.

"The cancer, it's back," Rachel finally said before breaking down into more heart wrenching tears. Santana's breath caught in her throat, her heart stuttering as her brain registered what she had just heard. Shaking her head 'no' she gripped Rachel by the shoulders momentarily and then pulled her into a bone crushing hug. "It's okay, it's gonna be okay," she whispered over and over, her grip on the diva never wavering. Rachel just held on as the tears continued to fall. "Does Quinn know? Santana asked, although she probably already knew the answer to that.

"No, I haven't told her yet and I don't plan to until I know how serious it is," Rachel replied with a steely voice that told Santana there was no room for negotiation, but that wouldn't stop the lawyer from trying. "Rachel you have to tell her, she deserves to know," Santana said as she pulled back to look the diva in the eyes. The smaller girl just shook her head and wiped at her eyes. "No. The last few months have been the happiest I've ever seen Quinn, I'm not going to ruin that for her until I know what's going on. I have an appointment tomorrow so they can run some tests, I'll know more then," Rachel explained as she gathered herself together.

"I'm coming with you tomorrow," Santana said, receiving a look from Rachel. "If you're not gonna tell Q until after, fine, but you're not doing this alone. I'm going to that appointment with you and then after, you are going to tell Quinn," Santana stated with finality. Rachel just gazed at her, and after a moment she nodded her head, knowing that she wouldn't win this fight. "Good, now pull yourself together, if we stay out here any longer they're gonna send out a search party," Santana said as she tucked a strand of hair behind the diva's hair giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Once Rachel had sufficiently fixed herself up, they made their way back to their friends, using the excuse that Santana needed the diva's help in picking out the song she would sing to Brittany at their wedding reception. Quinn who was sitting on the couch they had occupied earlier with a giggling Charlie, smiled at her wife such love, making the crack in Rachel's heart break just that little bit more. How could she possibly tell her wife the truth, it would break them, especially now with Charlotte in the picture. Everything was going so well, it just didn't seem fair.

Fixing a smile on her face she made her way over to the couch and sat down, kissing Charlie on top of the head before pulling Quinn into a passionate kiss that had the blonde beaming from ear to ear. "Wow, what did I do to deserve that?" Quinn asked. Rachel shrugged and twirled a strand of her wife's hair around her finger. "Nothing, just loved me," Rachel replied with a smile. Quinn kissed her back "always," she whispered against the diva's lips. Across the room, Rachel caught Santana's gaze and the shared a sad look before returning their attention to the rest of the group. They didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but they knew that whatever happened, they had a tough road ahead of them.

**I did warn you that the angst was on its way. What did you think? It's been a couple of weeks so I'm a little rusty. Anyways hope you liked it and please review.**


	39. Chapter 36

**Hey everyone! I was so thrilled with the reviews I got for the last chapter that I couldn't not give you and update as a thank you. I mean it I really appreciate it, you're the reason I keep going with this story.**

**Also in response to Born2Try: It's explained in this chapter the reasoning behind Rachel's decision to lie to Quinn. I just hope it makes sense to everyone reading it. It wasn't about keeping something from Quinn, it was about protecting her and their daughter. **

**Anyways hope you all enjoy this update.**

Santana grasped the Styrofoam coffee cup in her hands and grimaced at the taste of the cheap vending machine liquid. She didn't really want the drink to begin with, but when hanging around in hospitals time just seemed to come to a standstill, like it refused to move, and Santana needed to do something to pass the time. Even if that meant going up six different floors when there was a vending machine right around the corner. Whatever she needed to do just start herself from chewing off what was left of her fingernails. Good thing she was wearing fake one's for her wedding.

Walking down the corridor, she turned to enter the room Rachel had been assigned for waiting in and the Latina was surprised to find the diva sitting up on the bed with her arms wrapped across her stomach. Crossing the threshold, Santana placed the coffee cup down on the bedside cabinet and sat on the edge of the bed, resting a hand on Rachel's forearm. "Hey, you okay?" she asked as she crossed her leg under herself so she was sitting more comfortably. Rachel stared ahead at the wall, her breathing laboured as she thought about what her best friend had asked her.

_Was she okay?_ No, she wasn't. She didn't feel okay and she didn't know how to make it better. Actually, scratch that, she did know, she just didn't know if she could bring herself to tell her wife the truth and that was something else that was hurting her. Rachel hated lying to Quinn, she never did and under any other circumstances, she never would have. But with everything that was going right in their lives, she couldn't find it within herself to be honest with Quinn, to tell her the truth no matter how painful. She just couldn't do that because she knew it would crush her wife, especially now that they had baby Charlie to think about.

Without even realising it, tears began to make their way down the diva's noticeably paler cheeks, and then a hand began stroking her hair and a voice hushed her with words telling her it would be okay. But it was lie, things weren't okay and the fact that the voice and that was comforting her wasn't her wife's made Rachel's heartbreak. She needed Quinn, she needed her to make things better, to make everything okay, to comfort her to whisper reassuring words and to hold her. She loved Santana like she was her own flesh and blood, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't offer her the kind of comfort she needed. Rachel knew what she had to do, she had to call Quinn.

"No, no I'm not okay," she spoke with a broken sob that had finally escaped her throat, "I need Quinn. I need you to call Quinn and get her here. I never should have kept this from her, I need her here with me I can't…I just, please," she pleaded and Santana nodded her head before pulling the diva into her arms and wrapping her in a tight hug. "Okay, okay I'll call her," the Latina said as she soothed her friend. Rachel whispered a tear soaked thank you before sitting back up and wiping her face. Santana grabbed her phone from her handbag and headed out into the corridor, scrolling through her contacts before finally landing on Quinn and hitting the call button. It was only a matter of seconds before the blonde picked up.

"Hey S, what's up?" Quinn's voice carried down the line. Santana could hear her friend giggling and the sound of childlike gibberish in the background, she knew Quinn was at home with Charlotte. Great, just what she needed, having to tell her friend what was going on was going to be hard enough, but hearing her godchild in the background just drove home the reality of how tough it was going to be. She now understood why Rachel struggled so much with telling her wife the truth. Pulling the phone away from her ear, Santana inhaled a deep breath and then released it. She had to do this.

"Q, look there's no easy way to say this so I'm just gonna get this out. You need to come down to the hospital," she said and paused when she heard an intake of breath. "Wh- is Rach okay? Are you okay? What's going on?" Quinn replied and Santana hear shuffling around on the other end, the blonde was probably running around her penthouse gathering up her things. Rachel had used the excuse that she was meeting up for lunch with the Latina to finish going over song selections and had asked her wife if she minded staying home with Charlotte. Santana didn't know how Quinn would react when she realised she had been lied to, but considering the circumstances she figured there were other more pressing matters to be concerned about.

"Look Rach and I weren't meeting up today for lunch, she's at the hospital to have tests done. Q, the cancer's back," Santana trailed off, her voice going quiet towards the end. The line went deathly quiet, and the Latina had to check to make sure the call hadn't been disconnected. "Q, you still there?" Santana asked as she leaned against the wall, it was another minute before she finally received any sort of a reply. "What hospital?" was all she got. After telling Quinn where they were the call ended and Santana was left standing there in the empty corridor preparing herself for what was sure to be an emotionally draining day.

Quinn couldn't tell if she was moving of her own accord, or if her brain was working on auto pilot, but her feet seemed to carry her exactly where she needed to be without much thought. She just knew that she had to get to Rachel and be with her and their daughter as a family. When she had explained to Puck what was going on he had offered to take care of Charlotte, but Quinn refused, she couldn't bear the thought of living her behind when she was about to face something that had been a constant worry of hers for so many years.

Racing out of the elevator and down the corridor she took right at the vending machine like Santana had told her and walked as briskly as she could to reach the room the right room. When she finally made it, she opened the door and burst inside, not really knowing what to expect. What she saw broke her heart. Lying on the hospital bed with her back to the door was her wife, her outline illuminated by the glow of the sunshine streaming in through the window. Santana, who had noticed her walk in, instantly climbed to her feet and lifted Charlotte out of Quinn's arms along with the travel tote and stepped outside, leaving the couple on their own.

Upon hearing the door close behind her, Rachel turned around to face Quinn, tears streaming down her face. "Quinn," she said through a chocked sob and just as she broke down, the blonde dashed across the space between them and climbed onto the bed, pulling the diva into her arms and held onto her in a vice like grip God himself couldn't separate. "Sssh, it's okay, I'm here," Quinn sighed as her own tears finally made their presence known. Rachel buried her face in her wife's chest as she finally received that feeling of comfort she had been craving. "I'm here," she heard whispered against the shell of her ear as several kisses where placed upon her head.

"Why didn't you tell me what was going on?" Quinn asked as she pulled back, tucking a strand of hair behind Rachel's ear, tears streaking her once perfect complexion. Rachel shrugged and gazed down at the bed, unable to look at the sadness in her wife's eyes. "Because I couldn't bear to see that same look on your face you had the first time we went through this. That broken, pained look in your eyes that I want to take away so badly but can't. I just couldn't bring myself to do it, not with everything going so well," she explained as she raised a hand to wipe at her eyes. Quinn let out another sob before reaching over and cupping the diva's hands within her own and holding them against her chest.

"Yeah and just like you want to take away my pain, I want to take away yours. Rach, you're my wife, I love you with everything I have inside and when you're sick, I want to be the one sitting next to you and holding your hand, not Santana or anyone else, ME!" Quinn said with finality. Rachel nodded her head as a few tears escaped her, "I'm sorry, I never wanted to lie to you I just…I…," Rachel trailed off, unable to finish what she was saying. Quinn just shook her head in the negative and cut Rachel off by pulling her into her arms.

"Sssh, it's okay, it's okay. I don't care about that, I only care about doing what it takes to get you better," Quinn said as she placed a kiss to her wife's forehead. After a couple of minutes of just holding each other, Quinn pulled away and began stroking her wife's hair. "What have the doctors said?" she asked as she leaned back against the pillows with Rachel. The diva wiped away her tears and rubbed her nose before looking back up at her wife. "They took some blood samples for testing, they want to do a couple of other tests so, I'm not really sure what's going on," she explained before resting her head against the blondes shoulder.

"Do they have any idea when the results will be back?" Quinn asked as she rested her cheek against the top of her wife's head. Rachel nodded, "They put a rush on them so as soon as they're done with all these tests we should know. Quinn I…," Rachel was cut off by Quinn who shook her head. "Don't, don't say anything. Whatever happens I'm gonna be right here and we are going to do whatever we have to do to get you better. Then you, me and Charlie are going to carry on with the rest of our lives just like we've been doing," Quinn said as she placed a kiss on Rachel's head and allowed her lips to rest there.

The moment was broken when a male nurse stepped inside the room with a wheelchair, clearly there to bring Rachel down for more tests. As the diva climbed into the chair, Quinn leaned down and cupped her face in her hands, giving her a deep loving kiss before stepping aside and following out of the room. As they turned to head down the corridor, Rachel's eyes fell on Santana who had been sitting outside with Charlotte reading her a story. The tiny infant glanced up from her book and smiled that megawatt smile that melted her parents when her little brown eyes fell upon Rachel.

Rachel leaned forward in the chair and ran a hand through her daughter's dark locks and kissed her on the cheek, lingering there for a moment before pulling back, smiling at Santana and sitting back in the chair. When the nurse and Rachel had disappeared into the elevator, Quinn who had been rooted to the spot, turned and hunched down in front of her daughter and lifted her into her arms, hugging her close to her as burst into a heart wrenching sobs. Santana quickly stood from her seat and wrapped by Fabray girls in her arms and held them tight. It was her job to be the strong one, and she was going to make damn sure that she could be there for them.

It had been an hour since Rachel had been returned to her room and she was currently taking a nap. Santana had taken Charlotte down to the children's play area to occupy her and to wear her out so she would also take a nap, and Quinn had taken up residence right by Rachel's bedside, just like all those years ago. Brown eyes began to flicker open and smiled at the sight of the blonde angel next to her bed. "Hey," she croaked out. Quinn smiled back and gently stroked her cheek. "Hey back," she smiled and released her hold on the diva's hand so she could sit up.

A knock at the door sounded and both girls looked to each other anxiously as the doctor entered the room holding a chart. "Ladies," greeted them before pulling up a chair and sitting down. Quinn, sensing Rachel's anxiety beginning to bubble over, stood from her chair and moved to sit next to her wife, wrapping her arm around her shoulder and holding her close to her side. The doctor removed his glasses from his coat pocket and slipped them on as he flipped over the file and read through his notes. Once he had registered the information in his brain he closed it and glanced up at the women sitting in front of him, a serious expression on his face.

"Rachel, the cancer has spread to your lungs, and your liver," he said and Rachel choked on a sob that was threatening to rip from her throat. Quinn pulled her closer and placed her lips against her wife's temple in a bid to hide her own tears and to comfort her wife. "Our main concern is that, if the cancer spreads to your heart, brain or both, we may not be able to treat it. We need to start attacking this as aggressively as possible," he stated with as much tact and empathy as he could while also remaining professional. "I'm going to start working on a treatment plan and I would like for you to come in tomorrow so we can discuss it so we can get started as soon as possible," he finished, taking one last look at the two girls before handing Quinn his card and excusing himself from the room.

As soon as the door closed, Rachel lost it. She curled herself up into a ball and clung to Quinn like a child. Even though she had prepared herself for the worst she couldn't quite wrap her head around the reality of the situation, this was all too real. Quinn couldn't find the words to sooth her wife, nothing she said would make much of a difference in that moment, but she just couldn't help feeling hopeless. Feeling Rachel clinging to her, she did the only thing she could in that moment, she wrapped herself around her wife and held her as close as she could, communicating with her through her body language that she wasn't going anywhere. Not now not ever. The only comfort she took from this whole situation, was the fact that Charlotte was too young to understand how her life was about to be affected.

When the girls finally made it home their daughter was fast asleep and showing no signs of waking up. Santana had since headed home, but not after Rachel and Quinn and showered her with gratitude, Rachel in the form of a lengthy hug, and as the girls entered their empty apartment, they couldn't help but allow the gravity of the situation to weigh down on them. "I'm gonna put Charlotte down to sleep," Rachel said in a monotone voice that displayed no hint of emotion. Quinn's shoulders slumped in defeat as she watched her wife disappear down the hallway. Taking off her coat, she tossed it onto the back of the couch in the living room and dropped down onto it with a thud.

Burying her head in her hands inhaled deeply through her nose and then out through her mouth in an attempt to stop herself from breaking down in tears again. This was not how she expected her day to turn out. She had spent years praying that this would never happen again but ithad, and she didn't know how to deal with that. She couldn't help but feel like all those prayers had been for nothing, like her belief in her faith had been nothing but a waste of time. She just couldn't understand why this was happening to Rachel again. It wasn't fair.

Taking one more breath, Quinn decided to follow her wife. Walking down the hallway she stopped at the doorway of the nursery and saw Rachel gazing down into the crib, singing a soft lullaby under her breath. Stepping inside, Quinn moved across the space between them and wrapped her arms around her wife's waist from behind, kissing her on the side of the head. Rachel cleared her throat gently before speaking in a hushed voice. "I was thinking, for Charlotte's birthday we could have a fairytale theme, where everyone dresses up as their favourite fairytale character. I know it's six months away but I just thought… I just…," Rachel cut herself off as a sob escaped.

Quinn wrapped her arms tighter around her wife as the diva's legs gave out, lowering them both to the floor and pulling her into her lap. Quinn pulled Rachel's head down against her chest and held her there as she allowed her wife the let out her pain and anger. Because she felt it too, every painstaking moment of it and it hurt like hell. But she would cry later. Right now her wife needed her and she was going to do whatever she needed her to do to deal with those feelings. She would get them through this again. She had to, for Rachel, herself and for Charlotte. There was no other option, Quinn would not except any other outcome. Rachel had to get better, simple as that. She just hoped she wasn't preparing herself to fight a losing battle.

**So what did you think? I really hope you review as I'd love to hear what you thought as this was actually quite hard for me to write. **

**By the way, the whole Shannon and Quinn thing will be resolved, I just wanted to wait until Quinn was more, emotionally charged, before finally bringing up that encounter. **

**Talk to you soon.**


	40. Chapter 37

**Wow! I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, honestly I was overwhelmed by the responses, it means so much to me that you're so invested in this story and the journey the characters are taking. I really appreciate it. So here's the next chapter and I hope you like. **

Quinn could hear the sound of violent retching from down the hall as she changed Charlotte into a little black dress with some woolly tights and cute little red dolly shoes. It had taken the blonde longer than usual to dress her daughter, mainly because the sound emanating from the en-suite of her bedroom kept distracting her. Every time she would hear the retching she would feel compelled to run to her wife and sit with her, just so she could rub her back or hold her hair.

But she couldn't. Quinn had a child to think about now as well and as much as she wanted to be in that bathroom with her wife like she had been all those years ago, now she had other priorities and she knew Rachel would want her to carry on as normal as they could for Charlotte's sake. It wasn't always easy for Quinn to follow her wife's wishes, but she knew deep down that she needed to think about things logically. Charlotte was six months old, she needed her parents to be there for her and fulfil her needs, and with Rachel's current condition, that largest part of that responsibility had been shifted to Quinn and she was going to make sure she did the best job she could.

Luckily, she had the support of Santana and Puck, who were the only members of their close circle of friends who were aware of the situation they were in. Rachel refused to tell anyone else until after Santana's wedding, it was a big occasion for the Latina and her fiancée and the diva refused to let news of her illness put a dampener on proceedings. It was bad enough having to break the news to her fathers and her agent, manager and publicist, they needed to know for many reasons, one of them being they needed to be aware so they could keep the information out of the press. They would have to go public eventually, there was no way they could keep the diva's condition under wraps permanently, but Rachel didn't want it to happen until she'd had the opportunity to tell her friends.

The problem was, Quinn wasn't sure how much longer they could keep it a secret. It had only been a couple of days since her wife had been put on her treatment plan and already, the side effects of the unforgiving regime were taking its toll. Unlike the last time Rachel had gone through treatment, this time the diva was also on countless home medications to deal with various different problems or issues from both the illness and the treatment. There were pills for nausea, pills for migraine headaches, pills for pain relief and various other pills, the cabinet in the girls en-suite had practically been turned into an at pharmacy.

They served to remind Quinn just how real this entire situation was. There would be moments throughout the day were she would catch a glimpse of her wife laying on the couch with their daughter perched on top of her, laughing and smiling, like everything was normal. Then there would was the free fall back to reality, where she would see Rachel popping a pill to deal with one hardship or another, or the moments at night were her wife would curl up into a ball and tug on Quinn's nightshirt seeking out warmth before pushing her away a couple of minutes later because she had broken into a sweat because of the chemicals pumping through her body.

It was excruciating to watch only this time around, it was so much worse. Quinn would be engaging Charlotte with toys or books during playtime, trying to keep as much of a normal routine in her daughter's life as she could while Rachel took a nap in the bedroom. The few times Quinn had made the time to sit on the living room floor to have a little fun with her baby girl had proven to be a lot harder for the blonde to endure than she thought. Not because of the fact she was now effectively taking care of two people, but because it made her think about a life that she never wanted to live.

Charlotte would slot the right pieces into her little puzzle toy, or would come so close to forming a proper word and Quinn would be bursting with joy. Instinctively she would turn around to call out for her wife, only to gaze around and remember that the diva was resting after a gruelling round of treatment. Those moments terrified Quinn to her very core, because they made realise the very real possibility that this could be her future, hers and Charlotte's. Living in a world where Rachel was no longer around to experience their joy or to comfort them in their pain.

Quinn couldn't bring herself to even entertain the idea that there was real chance she may have to face up to parenthood as a single mother. It caused her unthinkable pain, but she refused to give into that possibility. As long as there was hope Quinn would hold onto it with both hands and do everything she could in her power to help Rachel get through this. She had to do everything she could to keep her family together, her wife and daughter were the most precious things in Quinn's world, they were the only thing that mattered to her in the world, without either one of them, Quinn would be incomplete.

Rachel and Charlotte were the pulse that flowed through her veins giving her life, she needed her wife and daughter like she needed air to breathe. They weren't just a part of her life, they were a part of her, a big part that if severed, would be irreplaceable. And that was what gave Quinn her will to fight, and to keep fighting even when she felt like crumbling under the strain and breaking down in tears. So, with Charlotte now dressed and her favourite teddy grasped between her chubby little hands, Quinn picked her up and carried her into the master bedroom, her focus now fixed on her ill wife.

Stepping inside the room, Quinn walked over to the playpen that was set up in the corner in and carefully set her daughter down in it with some toys and kissed her on the head before turning towards the en-suite and giving a soft knock on the door before opening it. Once the room came into view, Quinn was surprised to find her wife standing by the sink, removing a pill from one of the many containers and popping it in her mouth before putting it back on the shelf in the cabinet and closing it. Rachel quickly glanced at her wife before picking up her toothbrush to run it under some water before placing some tooth paste on it and placing the tube back in the holder.

"Is Charlotte ready to go?" Rachel asked before bringing the toothbrush to her mouth and beginning to process of brushing her teeth. Both she and her wife had started getting ready over an hour ago, so she knew that once she finished up they would be hitting the road. Quinn walked into the bathroom and took a seat on the ledge of the luxury Jacuzzi bath, crossing her arms over her chest while eyeing Rachel through the reflection in the mirror. "We don't have to go you know? I'm sure Santana would understand," Quinn said, hoping the diva would agree with her.

Rachel was pushing her body to unnecessary limits, and with the wedding taking place the following day, Quinn believed that her wife would benefit from taking the night off to try and sleep, rather than spending it wasting her energy pretending everything was okay to everyone around them. But she also knew that her wife was stubborn, she could already see Rachel's argument burning on the tip of her tongue. "Quinn, we are the maids of honour. We can't miss this, I refuse to miss this, not after how great Santana has been with everything over the last couple of days."

And there it was, Rachel putting her foot down and _informing_ her wife that they would be attending the rehearsal dinner, regardless of their current circumstances. However Quinn wasn't one to just back down completely, and over the years she had learned that the key to achieving her ultimate goal was the age old practice of compromise. Standing up from the bath ledge, Quinn crossed the small space that separated her from her wife and came to a stop right behind Rachel, placing her hands on the diva's hips and squeezing them as a sign for the smaller girl to turn around, which Rachel did.

"Fine. We'll go to the rehearsal dinner, but we are not staying all night. As soon as the business end of the evening is done, we're out of there and _you_ are spending the rest of the night in bed. No if's, and's or but's. I'm not negotiating on this," Quinn finished with a firm tone and a pointed look that told Rachel challenging her on this would be pointless. So the diva relented and dropped her shoulders in a sign of surrender. Being honest, she wasn't sure how much of the night she was going to last for, but she was determined to make it until at least after dinner.

"Okay fine, after rehearsal and the meal we'll go," Rachel sighed leaning into Quinn who placed her lips against a slightly clammy forehead and placed a kiss there, glad that the diva was seeing things her way. Rachel pulled back and began straightening herself out and just as Quinn was about to head back to the bedroom to gather up their daughter, the diva tugged on her wrist to stop her from leaving. The blonde turned around and gazed at her wife with a questioning look and Rachel glanced down at herself eyeing the deep purple long sleeved dress she was wearing.

"This dress is okay right? You can't see _anything _can you?" she asked with a slight tremor to her voice. Rachel of course was referring to her chest catheter which been put back in the place it once took up residents all those years ago. It had been difficult for the Quinn and Rachel seeing it there again, but it was necessary and they were going to take it in stride along with everything else. Quinn turned to fully face her wife and stepped into her personal space, cupping her hands around the diva's jawline and lifted her chin so she was staring right into brown eyes.

"You look stunning," Quinn whispered as she lowered her head captured plump lips in a soft kiss, smiling into it when she felt those lips kissing back. With one more final peck, Quinn released her hold and stood back. "I'm gonna grab Charlie and put her in her carrier, pack up her travel tote and make sure Puck's ready to go," Quinn said as she walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom to fetch her daughter who was being guarded by Arthur who was lying on the ground in front of the playpen watching her like a hawk. Quinn patted their dog on the head, praising him for his good behaviour before scooping up her daughter and laughing as Charlotte began babbling to the dog over her shoulder.

"You know, if you keep this up you're gonna be talking in no time," Quinn beamed as she pecked her daughter on the nose. Rachel watched on from her place in the doorway of the bathroom, melting at the carefree banter between her wife and child. Moments like that cheered her up and broke her heart at the same time. Rachel wanted more than anything to be there to see her daughter grow up, and to share in many, many more special moments with her wife as they raised their child and it terrified her to think that there was as strong possibility that may never happen.

Ever since Rachel was a little girl she always believed that her dream was to be standing on a Broadway stage and following in the footsteps of her idol Barbra Steisand. But Quinn had changed that, from the moment she confessed how she really felt about Rachel, the diva's dreams changed, the only dream she truly wanted to come true, was to spend the rest of her life in the arms of the woman she loved, and who loved her, and to watch her own daughter's dreams come true and maybe even give her a little brother or sister. But life was cruel that way and Rachel didn't know whether she should resent the universe for dealing her a rubbish hand, or to be grateful for the blessings she had received in her life so far.

Turning to the dresser to put on the jewellery that she had planned to wear, Rachel couldn't help but stare at the photograph of her wife and daughter that stood in the picture frame on her side of the dresser. Quinn was sitting back on the couch laughing hysterically while Charlotte was perched on her lap holding a miniature microphone between her tiny hands. It had been taken a month ago and Rachel thought it was the most adorable thing ever. Charlotte was still so young but she was already showing signs of having her mama's musical flare and her mommy's graceful moves, it made Rachel think about dance lessons and piano lessons, another harsh reminder that the odds of her being around to witness it already having been diminished by how far the cancer had spread, but there was still hope.

Sometimes though, Rachel couldn't help but be overwhelmed by how exhausted she felt. She wasn't even a week into treatment and already she was feeling the strain, what was worse, was the fact that this time, she could see how much this was affecting Quinn. Even though her wife was trying to be strong for the both of them, there were times when Rachel would look into those hazel eyes and she could see the pain that they held. She could see the burden Quinn was carrying on her shoulders and it broke her heart because this time, Quinn was just dealing with her own pain, she was dealing with Charlotte's too and it wasn't fair.

But they couldn't give up. They had to carry on and fight as hard as they could, so with her necklace clasped in place, she gently fixed the soft waves of her hair and then gathered up her clutch and coat and headed out of the bedroom to her wife and daughter, determined to get through the night as best she could. Once in the living room, she spotted Quinn in the kitchen packing away a couple of made up bottles for their daughter into the travel tote while Charlotte lay back against her uncle No-No on the couch as they watched Sesame Street.

Puck had actually dressed up for the occasion, wearing a black suit and a buttoned down black shirt. If she weren't happily married to a woman, she'd probably find him attractive. Puck gave her his signature 'what's up' head nod as he handed her off Charlotte who seemed disappointed that she was being taken away from Big Bird and his friends. Seriously, who interrupts a kid when they're watching Sesame Street, that's just not right. Quinn walked over to them, coat on and travel tote hanging from her shoulder and pulled a funny face at her daughter before the tiny infant could think about crying over missing one of her favourite shows.

"Okay, we ready to go?" she asked as she grabbed her purse from the coffee table before checking to make sure Arthur had fresh water and some food before they left. Rachel walked over to the living room table and set her daughter down into the car seat and strapped her in. "Alright ladies let's move it," Puck called out as he stood from the couch and walked over to the living room table, picked up Charlotte in the car seat and headed for the door followed by Quinn and Rachel. They just hoped Puck managed to avoid heavy traffic.

Santana sat at the bar of the hotel outside of the room where the rehearsal dinner would be taking place, nursing a glass of bourbon as she internally worried about whether or not Quinn and Rachel would make it. She had made it clear that if the diva wasn't up to it, she would understand and would cover for them with Brittany and the rest of the guests, however she couldn't deny that a no show from Rachel would worry her, and as much as she was a good liar, she wasn't sure she could hide that from Brittany, especially on the eve of her wedding.

Just as she was about to give up hope, three figures appeared through the main entrance of the lobby and Santana exhaled a sigh of relief as she down the bourbon to kill of the last of her nerves. Rachel approached her with Charlotte in her arms and the Latina pulled her into a hug, the action earning a laugh from Puck and Quinn who heard the surprised gasp from Rachel. "Oh thank God you're here. I was this close to calling the emergency services just to check on your skinny ass," Santana sighed as she released her grasp on her friend, afraid she might have accidentally squashed her godchild.

"I'm fine San," Rachel said as she adjusted the little headband on Charlotte's head that had been shifted during the embrace. Santana raised her eyebrow at the diva not believing her for a second and crossed her arms over her chest. Rachel just groaned and continued, "I'm fine to get through the rehearsal dinner and as soon as it's over Quinn has made me promise to go home and rest, so can we all stop worrying and just focus on the dinner," Rachel said with a slight groan, growing tired of the concerned looks.

Quinn stepped forward and placed a hand on her wife's lower back and smiled. "You heard the lady, let's get this show on the road," she said gesturing for Santana to lead the way. Once Puck and Santana began to walk towards the room, Rachel silently thanked her wife and they followed their friends. Once inside the room, Charlotte began to squirm and whimper, there were too many unfamiliar faces, it was overwhelming and she didn't know what to do. Rachel cradled her daughters head against the crook of her neck and cooed her as Quinn wrapped her arm protectively around her wife and daughter and walked slightly ahead in her best attempt to shield her little girl from all the new faces that were gazing at her.

Once they reached the top table Santana turned and noticed how upset little Charlie was, "Is she okay?" she asked Quinn who was stroking her daughters hair in a bid to calm her down. The blonde turned her attention to her friend and gave her a placating smile, "She's fine, it's just a lot of new faces to take in you know," she explained and Santana nodded her head in understanding. Charlotte was still cautious and uncomfortable around strangers and there had been a number of occasions that a situation had gotten the better of her and ended in a crying fit that left her parents worried at times that she wasn't getting enough air to breathe.

It was distressing to watch and Santana blamed it on the paparazzi and the way they imposed themselves in little Charlie's life, all for the sake of a stupid picture. It made the little girl weary of unfamiliar people because she wasn't old enough to understand people's actions or intentions and whether or not they were good or bad. She only had her parent's cues to go off of. If they told her that someone was okay then it must be true, other than that she only accepted the company of the rest of her make shift family and for now, that was fine. But everyone hoped that would grow out of this stage when she was older and could understand people better herself.

Gazing over Rachel's shoulder at Charlotte, Santana caught her attention and smiled, "Hey Munchkin, what ye doin?" she asked in a playful tone, tickling Charlie under the chin and making her smile. "Wanna see your aunt Britt-Britt?" At the sound of Brittany's name Charlie's little eyes wandered around the room trying to spot the bubbly blonde. Instead they found the approaching presence of a Latina woman who looked like an older version of Santana. The woman was smiling and came to a stop in front of the Fabray's.

"Quinn, Rachel it's so good to see you again," Maribel said as she greeted them both with an honest and warm smile. "This can't be little Charlotte," she said as she gazed at the infant who was gazing back at her with red rimmed eyes. Rachel smiled and pecked Charlie on the temple, "It sure is," she beamed. Maribel gently took a hold of Charlie's balled up fist and lightly shook it to show her she meant no harm. "Aren't you just the sweetest thing. I haven't seen you since you were a new born." Charlotte watched her, hesitant to look away in case something happened, but she didn't try to pull her hand out of the woman's grasp, a sign that she was slowly coming round to Maribel's presence.

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE HERE," Brittany squealed as she came bounding over to the little family, lunging at Quinn first and hugging her before turning her attention to the two brunette's, though she was polite enough not to pounce on the woman holding the infant child much to Quinn's relief. Rachel extended her arm and gave the blonde a side hug and Charlotte was positively beaming that her aunt Britt was finally around. This made everything better. "Why don't we all get seated, the rehearsal will be starting soon," Maribel suggested as she showed the girls to their seats. A high chair had been placed between Quinn and Rachel's seat and once they were seated, Blaine came strolling up to them.

"Hey guys," he said as he leaned down to balance on his haunches so he was at eye level with them both, "About tomorrow, I was just wondering if it would be okay if before the ceremony I could take Charlotte for a walk around to get her used to all the people before I walk her up the aisle, just, I don't want her to get spooked or anything," he asked gazing up at them with a questioning look. Quinn smiled at the man, appreciative of how mannerly he was to come up and ask beforehand even though he knew they would have no problem with it. Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

"I think that's a fantastic idea, of course you can. Just make sure she doesn't decide to undo your bow tie like usual," Rachel joked earning a chuckle from Blaine and her wife while Charlotte just looked at them with a 'what?" expression from her place in the high chair. "I won't," Blaine said as he stood up and playfully squeezed Charlotte's cheek making her smile at him. "I'll talk to you guys later," he said as she returned to his seat next to Kurt who was sitting at a table with Mercedes and her new boyfriend Paul. A bass player from UCLA she met a couple of months back. While Sam sat at the table behind them with his girlfriend Ally, the Schuester's and Finn Hudson who was there with his fiancée Brooke, the new English teacher at McKinley High.

Rachel smiled at the new faces who had joined their circle of friends before a short dizzy spell snapped her out of her musings and made her grimace, a move that did not go unnoticed by Quinn. "Hey, you okay?" she whispered placing her hand on the diva's thigh under the table, rubbing soothing circles. Rachel inhaled a deep breath through her nose and then released it, nodding her head. "I'm okay, just really looking forward to getting home to bed," the diva replied honestly. Quinn reached up her hand and placed it on her wife's cheek, leaning forward and placing a kiss on her lips.

"You'll be fine. Santana has promised to make this thing go by as quickly as possible so it shouldn't take too long," Quinn said with a sympathetic smile. Rachel nodded her head and cupped the hand on her cheek in her own and placed a kiss on her wife's palm. The girls' actions didn't go unnoticed by Kurt, who was watching them with a curious glint in his eyes. Something was up, he wasn't sure what, but he could tell that it was something rather big, and he was determined to find out what. Before anything else could happen, the chime of a bell announced that they were ready to start the rehearsal.

Two hours later, after countless inappropriate remarks by Santana to hurry up so the rehearsal dinner would end, Rachel didn't have to think twice about pulling off her shoes and heading straight for bed, not before kissing Charlie good night of course. Quinn watched on as her wife slumped off down the hallway, a heavy feeling of despair resting in the pit of her stomach, like a knot in her gut that just kept pulling tighter and tighter. It was only eight o'clock, but Quinn knew in that moment that there was no question about whether or not she would be joining the love of her life in bed.

In record time, the blonde had washed, changed and successfully lulled her daughter into a peaceful slumber after one chorus of Edelweiss. Standing up from the rocking chair she walked over to the crib and gently laid her daughter down, pulling the blanket up around her and tucking her in. Once she was sure her daughter was settled, Quinn slipped out of the room quietly, flicking the night light on as she left. Trekking her way to the master bedroom, she smiled at the sight of her wife curled up on the bed already looking somewhat peaceful. The odd frown would appear momentarily before slipping away.

Quinn made quick work of getting changed and removing her make-up. The only thing she wanted to do was curl up with her wife, sleep and for the briefest of moments, to just forget about the reality that would face them when morning rolled around. Sure it may have been naïve of Quinn to think she could just brush their troubles aside like that, but at night, she needed to believe she could, only for a moment, just so she could feel like she could breathe again. When she climbed into bed she relished in the feeling of her wife turning over and burrowing her face into Quinn's chest, her arm wrapping around the blonde's waist, and that was it, she could feel that moment of piece washing over her and she cherished it as her own arms wound their away around the tiny diva holding her close as sleep took hold of them.

**So what did you think? I hope you liked it and please review, your passionate responses to the last chapter really motivated me. Thanks again.**


	41. Chapter 38

**Again I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I hope you liked it. This chapter is pretty fluffy, although if you take into consideration the circumstances the girls are in, it's probably bittersweet. Anyways I hope you enjoy it.**

Quinn hated this. It was the morning of the Pierce-Lopez wedding and she was duty bound to spend it with Brittany at her hotel suite so they could get ready and toast the bride. Meanwhile her wife and daughter were a couple of blocks away in Santana's apartment. It didn't sit well with Quinn, this was the first morning since Rachel had told her about the cancer returning that she had spent any amount of time throughout the day away from the diva. Quinn had even managed to have her filming schedule rearranged in light of their current circumstances, the director more than accommodating to her needs.

But her need to be near her wife at all time was proving to be difficult to get under control, it was taking over her ability to function daily without her family nearby and, although many would argue that it wasn't healthy, Quinn didn't care. Her wife was ill and her daughter was solely dependent on them to take care of her and help her grow. They needed Quinn as much as she needed them and if that meant she had turned into some crazed woman with no sense of self priority, then so be it. She could focus on 'me time' when her wife was healthy and Charlotte had two healthy parents to take care of her.

Picking up the flute of champagne, Quinn lowered a generous amount, hoping the alcohol would help to settle her anxiety. Turning around she smiled as she watched Mrs. Pierce fawn over her daughter, while Mike sat on the couch silently laughing at Tina who was down on her hands and knees trying to coax Lord Tubbington out from under the bed. Seriously, Quinn couldn't figure out how that damn cat was still alive. Pouring herself another glass and filling four more, she walked over to the bride to be and her mother, handing them a glass before walking over to the couch and taking a seat next to Mike.

She handed him a glass and he thanked her as they both turned their attention to Tina before calling her over and handing her a glass. "Okay guys, I think a toast is in order. To Brittany, may this day, and every day after be filled with love, happiness and flying unicorns," Quinn stated with a serious look on her face, the slight quirk of her lip giving way to her humour. Brittany raised her glass with a big smile "Here, here," she cried out as the group all stood and clinked their glasses together. "Are we about ready to go?" Mike asked as she put down his glass and fixed his bowtie.

Quinn was about to respond when the message tone of her iPhone alerted her to a new message. Grabbing her phone off the table, she quickly exhaled in relief when she realised it was from Blaine, the text was a smiley face with an attachment. Opening the message a beaming smile burst across her face when she saw the image. Blaine had snapped a picture of Charlotte and Santana. The Latina was dressed in a robe and holding the little girl in her arms, a soft smile gracing her lips, while Charlotte was facing the camera, her mega-watt smile on full display, already dressed in her little pale purple flower girl dress, a hair clip with a little white rose bud on it just sitting to the side holding back a little piece of her delicate hair.

Tina couldn't help but be curious as to what was putting the smile on the blondes face. "What's got you so happy?" she asked as she finished off the last of the champagne in her glass. Quinn looked up and then turned her phone around so everyone could glance at the picture. All the women cooed over the image and Quinn felt herself bursting with pride at the fact they were all fawning over her daughter. Six months old and Charlotte still had people gushing over her, but Quinn could understand completely, after all, the littlest Fabray was the most adorable thing on the planet, in Quinn's eyes anyways.

Across town, Rachel was having a little trouble coming to terms with her bridesmaids dress. Just like her daughter's dress, the bridesmaid's gowns that she and Quinn were wearing were also pale purple with one shoulder strap. The problem was, the material coming across Rachel's shoulder didn't quite help to cover her catheter and Santana wasn't quite sure what they could do to fix it in the short amount of time they had before the wedding ceremony. However just as the Latina was about to have a fit, a knock on the door sounded around the bedroom.

"Come in," Santana called out, the door opening to reveal Puck who was dressed in a tux, bowtie perfectly placed to thanks to Blaine who was currently occupying Charlotte. "You guys might want to get a move on, Maribel and Blaine are wondering what's taking so long and we need to get there early so Charlie can get acquainted with the crowd before the before you take the final plunge," Puck said pointing his gaze in Santana's direction who sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "We know, we're just, having a little trouble getting Rachel's dress to sit right. You know for the…," she trailed off gesturing to her own chest. Puck merely nodded and then glanced down at the box in his hand.

"I figured as much. I mean I know I don't know a whole lot about fashion but even I could tell that it wasn't gonna do the job it needs to," he said with a smirk. "Which is why I picked this up before I got here, I'm not sure if it'll work but it's worth a shot," he said with a hopeful glance at the girls before he opened the box to reveal a white gardenia corsage with a safety pin. Removing it from the box, he gestured he looked to Rachel for permission to pin it on and she smiled shyly before nodding her head.

Stepping closer to his fellow Jew, Puck placed the gardenia right over the visible part of the catheter and pinned it in place, making sure that there was enough material gathered within the clasp so that the weight of the flower didn't cause the dress to sag. Once he was satisfied he took a step back and stuck his bottom lip out, nodding his head at his handy work before turning to Santana. "Looks good to me," he said and Santana motioned for Rachel to glance in the mirror to see for herself. Turning around, a smile began to creep across her as she realised that the gardenia was in fact covering her, not only that, but it actually worked well as an accessory.

"Puck this is, amazing. Thank you so much," Rachel said as she stepped closer to her friend and hugged him tight, Puck returning the embrace with just as much warmth. "Anything for my Jew babe," he said into her ear before kissing her on the head and stepping back. Santana, who was finally ready to go, shoved a bouquet of flowers into Rachel's arms and then made her way to the door. "Let's go bitches, I gots to go get married," she hollered over shoulder as she made her way to the living room. Puck and Rachel simply laughed at her and then Puck offered his arm to Rachel, who happily wrapped her arm around it and they followed after the Latina.

Blaine was nervous. He was currently holding a happy, calm Charlotte in his arms outside the double doors of the hotel wedding hall where the ceremony was taking place. The infant was fine now but he wasn't sure how she was going to react once they stepped inside and saw all the people, but he knew he needed to bring her in there if they were to have any hope of getting her up the aisle, so hugging her more securely to his own body, he slipped inside the room to the sight of a hundred people, family, friends and colleagues, milling around and talking while they waited.

Instantly Charlotte began to grow unsettled and Blaine began cooing to her as he started slowly making his way around the room. A whimper escaped the little girl's lips and Blaine could feel her breathing quickening as a full blown crying fit threatened to take over. Instantly, he remembered the secret weapon, or back up plan as Quinn had called it when she approached him that morning before they parted ways. Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulled out a small, plush, white lamb, one of Charlotte's favourite cuddle teddy's and the one the little girl slept with every night.

"Hey, hey, look," Blaine said with a cheery voice with a smile on his face, as he produced the small lamb, holding it up for Charlotte to grab a hold of. Once little brown eyes settled on the precious item, small hands reached out and took a hold of item, rubbing it against her face and then hugging it close. As Blaine continued to walk, he also pulled out a pacifier and placed it in Charlotte's mouth and then proceeded to make funny comments about people in the room to try and make them slightly more endearing and less scary. While the infant still looked uncomfortable, she did begin to grow accustomed to the room full of people. As long as they kept their distance from her, she would be fine.

Not long after that short little trip, the wedding got under way. Tina walked down the aisle first, or more like shuffled as the weight of Lord Tubbington seemed to drag her down, but she made it eventually and took a seat in the front row next to Sam. Next up was Blaine and Charlotte, the little girl a lot calmer now that she had her favourite stuffed lamb to focus on, the little twisting around in his arms so she could look all around her. Once they made it to the end of the aisle, Blaine took his seat next to Kurt and Mercedes, also in the front row, Charlotte beaming up at the familiar faces who were giggling along and keeping her occupied.

At the doors, Quinn walked out of the holding room where she had been waiting with Brittany and Mike and was met by Puck, who had come from Santana's holding room. He smiled at her and offered his arm which she gladly looped her arm through and then they made their way down the aisle. Quinn would be lying if she said she was a little annoyed that she couldn't walk with Rachel, however, although Mike and Puck were totally all for the rainbow movement, they felt weird walking down the aisle with each other during rehearsal, so Rachel suggested an alternative to keep them happy.

Once the pair had reached the end, they separated off, Quinn to the right and Puck to the left. When the blonde was turned facing the back of the room, she peered down to the front row and spotted her daughter perched happily on Blaine's lap, stuffed lamb being hugged to death by the little girl. Quinn couldn't help but melt at how adorable her daughter looked in her little flower girl dress, giving her a wave when little brown eyes finally landed on her, a small hand raising in the air in what Quinn had discovered was her daughters way of waving back.

Just as she was finding amusement in her little interactions with Charlotte, movement at the double doors caught her attention and she gazed up, heart seemingly stuttering at the beautiful sight coming down the aisle with Mike. Quinn beamed, her wife looked stunning. Rachel smiled back at her, that warm loving smile that had been reserved only for Quinn since the day they got together all those years ago. It brought back memories of their own wedding and how special they felt that day, how in love they felt. Almost a decade later and they were just as in love now as they were that day, even more so. Quinn didn't think she would ever stop falling for Rachel Berry, and truth be told, she never wanted to.

At the end of the aisle Mike and Rachel separated, the diva took her place next to Puck and Mike took his place next to Quinn. Rachel smiled when Charlotte squealed in delight, gaining bother her mothers' attention. Then, the wedding march song started, and Brittany made her way down the aisle with her father, almost skipping in her excitement and practically tossing her bouquet at Quinn who just about managed to grab a hold of it as Brittany planted herself in place, just in time to see Santana appear at the doors on her father's arm. The Pierce-Lopez wedding was finally a go.

The service went off without a hitch. Santana and Brittany exchanged beautiful, if at times somewhat colourful vows and were officially wife and wife. Many pictures had been taken with family and friends. Charlotte was far from keen at first when she came face to face with a man with a camera, usually that wasn't a good thing. However the photographer was used to working with kids and after sensing Charlotte's trepidation, he produced a couple of toys that he carried with him for kids and spent time engaging her so she would know he was a friend and wasn't going to harm her. Rachel was impressed with his approach even more so after she caught a glimpse of the pictures he had taken of her daughter. Turns out little Charlie's quite the photogenic baby.

At the reception, the gleeks all took turns keeping Charlie occupied during the speeches so the Fabray's could perform their maid of honour duties, both giving heartfelt and humours speeches about their close friends and wishing them years of happiness. Then, Santana stood up and accepted the microphone, surprising everyone since she never gave speeches of any kind, threats and insults sure, but never speeches.

"Okay, so I'm not good with all this emotional stuff, so I'm just gonna keep this short and sweet," she said as she swirled the champagne around in her glass. To my beautiful bride, I love you, and I am gonna spend the rest of my life dancing around our home to crazy stupid music and doing whatever else I have to in order to make you happy, thank you for saying I DO," she said with a blush, earning herself a smile from her new wife. "To parents for all their love and support, and to the Pierce family, for their support and for accepting me into their family all those years ago," she said tipping her glass in their direction.

"To Mr. Schue and the Glee club, for always being there for me, especially in high school, which I know wasn't easy cause I was a grade A bitch, but you loved me and put up with me anyways," she chuckled with a sarcastic roll of her eyes, Finn, Sam and Puck whooping up at her. Santana turned to her side to face her two best friends. "Quinn, you have been my best friend for as long as I can remember, you challenged like no else could and you called me out on my bullshit when I needed it. You always had my back and I'm always gonna have yours," she trailed off in a whisper as she found herself getting emotional. Quinn for her part gave her friends arm a squeeze in thanks and smiled at her.

"Rachel,we have had one of the craziest relationships, I never though the girl in the argyle sweaters who drove me crazy would become the sister I never had. You were the one sat me down and helped me figure out my future, and you were the one who gave me the push to grow up and make Britt mine," Santana sighed, her voice trembling at the end as she caught sight off tearful brown eyes staring back at her. "You're the reason I'm standing here today, so I guess what I'm trying to say is, thank you," the Latina finished.

Rachel, unable to contain herself stood from her seat and pulled her best friend into a hug. "I love," the diva whispered into Santana's ear and the Latina smiled hugging her tighter, "I love you too," Santana whispered back before they pulled away from each other. "Okay let's get this damn party started!" Santana hollered into the microphone earning cheers from the guests. Rachel sat back down and wiped at the corner of her eyes. Quinn reached across and linked their hands together giving it a gentle squeeze earning a grateful smile from her wife.

Once the band was in full swing, the party got under way and the drink began flowing, the happy brides of course were well on their way to complete intoxication as were many of the other gleeks. Quinn was sitting at table smiling as she watched her wife and daughter out on the dance floor messing around with Kurt and Sam. Finishing off the last of her champagne, Quinn stood up and made her way across the floor when a slow song started playing and came up behind Rachel, placing a hand on her wife's lower back.

"Mind if I cut in?" she asked with a smile looking towards the two men. They both grinned back and nodded, Kurt went to retrieve Charlotte, but Quinn stopped him. "No it's okay. I wanna dance with both my girls," she said aiming a warm smile at her wife and daughter as she wrapped one arm around her wife's waist, pulling her close and the other rested on the diva's arm that was supporting their daughter. Quinn leaned down and pressed her lips to Rachel's, the diva melting into the kiss and parting her lips, allowing her wife to slip her tongue in. It was slow and passionate, nothing sexual was about it, there was no exchange of physical needs or wants, it was purely a demonstration of love.

They pulled apart when Charlotte decided to interrupt the pair, clearly unimpressed that she was being left out. Quinn and Rachel chuckled as the blonde lifted her daughter into her own arms, Rachel wrapping herself up in her wife's free arm. "You wanna kiss to baby?" Rachel asked and couldn't help grinning at her daughter's enthusiastic grin. Rachel planted a kiss on the little girls cheek while Quinn planted a kiss to soft brown hair, resting her head against her daughters for a moment as she breathed in the scent on innocence before pulling her wife tighter against her and swaying them from side to side to the music. The moment couldn't be more perfect.

The next day however was a different story. After coming down off of all the medication she had been on to get through the wedding, and with the exhaustion that she had been ignoring, Rachel crashed and was restricted to bed rest, unable to do anything but sleep. The diva was due to go back into treatment after a few days reprieve from the gruelling schedule and Quinn couldn't help but feel relieved that her wife was stuck in bed for the day. At least this way she could guarantee that the diva was getting some sleep.

Walking into the master bedroom, Quinn sat down on the edge of the bed, placing green tea with some honey and lemon on the bedside table along with a tub of organic yoghurt and a spoon. Rachel opened her eyes at the commotion and smiled before frowning when she noticed that the blonde was dressed up and looked to be getting ready to go out. "Where are you going?" she asked in a husky voice, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. Quinn tucked a strand of hair behind her wife's ear and rested her hand against the side of Rachel's neck, cupping it gently.

"I'm taking Charlotte to the hospital for her check up with the paediatrician," she replied. Rachel groaned when realisation dawned on, she'd forgotten about the appointment. Sitting up, she began to pull the covers away only to be stopped by Quinn who grabbed her by the wrist and pushed her back down on the bed. "Where do you think you're going? She asked as Rachel looked at her with frown. "I'm going to get dressed so we can get going, what does it look like I'm doing?" Rachel responded as she once again tried to leave the bed only to be stopped yet again by her wife.

"No you're not. You, are going to stay here, drink this tea, eat this yoghurt and rest. I'll take our daughter to the hospital and when I get back, I'm going to make us some lunch, put Charlotte down for a nap and then me and you, are going to veg out on this bed and watch some movies," Quinn stated with a matter of fact tone as she stood up and straightened out her dress ad coat before leaning down and placing a gently kiss against her wife's forehead. "We'll be back before you know it, oh and, don't think about getting up to any funny business, Puck is going to be checking on you so I'll know if you've been disobeying my orders," she said with a sly grin as she stood back up and made her way out of the room, Rachel watching on with a disappointed look marring her features.

The drive to the hospital had been pretty quick which Quinn was incredibly thankful for. It meant less time spent away from Rachel. Paying for private care pretty much guaranteed that Charlotte would be seen to right away so once Quinn had made her way inside with her daughter and signed her in. The nurse took Charlotte's file into the doctor and returned within seconds, informing the blonde that the doctor would see them in a moment.

Taking a seat, Quinn fixed her daughter's hair which had been ruffled at the back from the car seat. Charlotte gazed around her and pointed at a picture of lion on the wall of the waiting area. "Uhhh," came the voice of the little girl as she looked up at her mother to make sure she was looking to where she was pointing. Quinn gazed down at her daughter with an exaggerated look of awe. "Look baby, it's Simba," Quinn said. Charlotte looked at her with wide eyes, glancing back at the lion on the wall and then bouncing up and down in excitement on her mother's lap. Quinn chuckled lightly and looked up when the nurse told her she could go through to the doctor's office.

Picking up her bag and securing her daughter in her arms, Quinn stood from the chair and made her way into the doctor's office. "Hello Quinn," Dr. Callaghan greeted as he stood from his seat shook her hand. "How is Miss Charlotte today?" he asked with a smile as he playfully tickled her cheek. Quinn liked this doctor, Charlotte was comfortable with him and the blonde believed it had a lot to do with the fact that it reminded the little girl of her grand pappy Hiram.

"She's pretty good. Though there has been something that I've been concerned about," Quinn said as she took a seat on the examine table and sat her daughter in her lap facing the doctor. The grey haired man began examining the little girl, flashing the light in her eyes, checking her inner ears and then he picked up the animal theme stethoscope from around his neck and placed it in his ears. "What's your concern?" he asked as he gestured for Quinn to hold up Charlotte's shirt so he could check her breathing and heartbeat, warming up the end piece with his breath and hand before pressing it to the little girls chest.

"Well, I've noticed she's been wheezing sometimes. At first it was just after she'd been crying, especially when she would have a crying fit when she's anxious like I told you about. But I've noticed that it's been occurring when she's been active a lot. Could it be asthma?" Quinn asked as she fixed Charlotte's shirt once the doctor was finished with the examine. Dr. Callaghan clucked his tongue and pushed himself back on the wheelie stool.

"It could be, or it could be something as simple as a chest infection. If it is asthma we won't be able to diagnose it until she's at least a year old because her lungs haven't fully formed yet," he explained as walked over to his desk and picked up a prescription pad and pulled out a pen from his white coat. "I'm going to put Charlotte on an inhaler for a couple of weeks. If you think it's helping we'll keep her on it and monitor the situation. Other than that everything else is perfectly fine," he said with a reassuring smile.

Quinn gave him a timid smile as she stood from the table and gathered her things, slipping the prescription into her coat pocket so she could pick it up on the way home. Dr. Callaghan went into another room momentarily and returned with something in his hands. "Use this applicator with the inhaler, it will make easier for you to make sure Charlotte's taking in the medicine, you can use it with or without the strap," he explained as he showed Quinn the little plastic mask that was identical to the breathing masks they use in hospitals, only smaller to suit an infant.

"Thank you," Quinn said as Dr. Callaghan put the mask into the box and slipped it into the blonde's bag for her. "And for Miss Charlotte," he said with a happy grin as he held up two pages of colourful stickers, one of different animals and the other of fairy tale princesses. Quinn grabbed a hold of them and held them in front of her daughter, delighting in the beaming smile on her little girls face.

With one final goodbye, Quinn exited the room and stopped briefly at the reception desk to schedule Charlotte's next appointment and then slipped out of the hospital as quickly as she could, grateful that there were no paparazzi around. Once she had settled Charlotte into her car seat with her favourite stuffed lamb Quinn placed a kiss on her forehead. "You were such a good girl today," she said in her soft voice she reserved only for Charlotte. "How bout we pick up some ice cream and head home to Mama huh?" she asked, encouraging her daughter to speak at every opportunity in the hope that she would soon say her first words.

Charlotte beamed up at her mother, her eyes shining with joy at the mention of her Mama. "Ah," Charlotte replied, her basic sound for yes, her little hands squeezing her lamb as her little legs kicked in happiness. Quinn smiled at her little girl, giving her one more kiss before climbing out of the backseat and closing the door. Jumping into the driver's seat, she pulled on her seatbelt and turned on the ignition, eager to get home to her wife and relax for the rest of the day with her family before they had to deal with the stresses of the week ahead.

**Charlotte really is a cute baby. Please leave a review I love hearing your thoughts. Talk to you soon.**


	42. Saving Me Q&A

Okay people, as I come towards the end of one story and the beginning of a new fictional journey with Faberry, I've decided once and for all to answer any questions you the readers have about Saving Me.

I'm gonna do a little Q&A. Basically any questions you've had about this story, the characters, my thought process, the reasons behind certain plot points, anything at all, anything you've wanted to know, ask me and I will answer it.

You can also ask questions regarding my soon to be new fic I will be starting and as long as it doesn't spoil the story I promise to answer those questions too. I may even drop hints about the ending or run through some of the ideas I had for the ending.

All you have to do is PM me your question, or questions, and I will go through them and I will try and give as detailed an answer as possible. If you don't have an account or you are posting as a guest, you can leave your questions in the review section and I'll save them to my account before I delete the post.

Think of this as being like a writer's version of a director's commentary. So if you have any questions get typing. All questions will be answered before I post the next chapter.

TheIrishGilmore.


	43. Chapter 39

**Hey guys. I'm back. Sorry it took so long to post the next chapter. Anyways here it is and I hope you like it. This chapter gives you a little background into how Rachel and Quinn got together all those years ago. Thanks for all the reviews as usual and enjoy this update.**

Staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Quinn couldn't help but think how pathetic she looked. Red rimmed eyes and tear stained cheeks were glancing back at her, mocking her, reminding her just how much her life had changed over the last number of weeks. The stress had been getting to her and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. Raising an infant child, taking care of a sick wife and balancing her career, it was too much. The last couple of hours had really taken it out of Quinn emotionally.

After Rachel was forced to undergo surgery to remove half of her liver, the diva knew that they would have to finally inform the rest of their friends of her illness. And they did, mere hours after Rachel had come round from the surgery, Quinn had gathered their friends at the hospital and they broke the news to them, their friends who could be present with them in New York joining them by phone. To say that the news came as blow would be an understatement, Kurt, Brittany, Nicole and Tina had cried. Blaine and Mike were stunned into silence, Sam, Ben and Finn offered Rachel their deepest heartfelt wishes of improving health, and Mercedes had to hang up the call she was that choked up.

Santana tried to console her wife as best she could, but part of her had yearned to reach out and embrace Quinn. The blonde just looked so broken sitting in the chair next to her wife's bed, gold cross and Star of David dangling from her neck, as it always did during times of hardship or crisis. Rachel just clutched her wife's hand in a vice like grip, before sleep and a heavy dose of pain medication wiped her out and everyone left to give the girls their space. Quinn stayed behind, with the intention of sleeping there that night, but Rachel insisted that her wife go home and rest. Their daughter needed her.

So, with a reluctance that weighed heavy on her heart, Quinn returned home with Charlotte, Santana and Brittany in tow, and tried to go about her nightly routine. She bathed her daughter, keeping her a little longer than usual in the bath in the hopes that the warm water and bubbles would sooth her as the infant had been fussy all day and had refused attention from everyone except Quinn. This had been happening for a number of weeks and it had been discovered that Charlotte's unsettled nature usually coincided with Rachel's treatment as this usually meant the diva was too tired or sick to spend time with her daughter.

It was messing up little Charlie's routine, she had been so used to always being with the diva and spending time with both her mom's, she couldn't understand why Rachel wasn't around all the time or why she had to spend so much time at her aunties Tana and Britts house. Charlotte was too young to comprehend the situation around her and it broke Quinn's heart that there was nothing she could do to make it easier. Whenever Rachel was having a good day, the girls would make it a point to spend as much time with their daughter as possible but it just didn't seem like enough. Even though Charlotte was only a baby, she was very much aware that something wasn't right and was probably picking up on the emotional cues of the people around her.

As Quinn dressed her daughter in a fluffy purple onsie, she could already sense the oncoming tears that Charlie had been threatening to spill since the minute that they had stepped foot in the house. The little girl was over exhausted and was unhappy and once Santana had arrived in the nursery with a bottle that Quinn had asked her to make up, the dam finally broke and she refused to take any of the formula, from Quinn or Santana. Shifting Charlotte's position around so that the little girl was effectively hugging her mother with her tiny arms, her head propped against the blonde's shoulder, Quinn swayed from side to side, shushing her and dropping soft kisses to her delicate hair.

"Shhh baby, it's okay, it's okay," Quinn cooed as she stroked her daughters back. Santana watched on from her place propped up against the set of drawers, her hands twisting the untouched bottle around and around. The tears were coming thick and fast, Charlie's face turning red from her outburst, the sound of her wailing alerting Brittany who bounded down the hallway and stood in the doorframe with her hands pressed up against the edges, bright blue eyes asking if everything was okay. Quinn just continued to try and settle her child before the sound of wheezing and small breaths catching in her daughters chest made her turn to her blonde friend.

"Can you go to the medicine cabinet and grab Charlie's inhaler?" Quinn asked over the sound of her daughter's strained cries. Brittany simply tipped her head and headed straight to the medicine cabinet in the adjoining bathroom. It took her a second to find the inhaler, due to it being lost under some bandages and other supplies that had been haphazardly thrown in there, but as soon as she had a hold of it, she rushed back into the nursery and looked to Santana who took a hold of it from her wife and retrieved the little mask that attached to it, clipping it on before handing it off to Quinn who took a seat in the rocking chair and propped her daughter up in a sitting position, fighting against the little hands that tried to push the mask away.

"It's okay sweetie, it's okay," Quinn whispered finally managing to still her daughter long enough to hold the mask over her nose and mouth and pump medicine from the blue puffer. Gently rocking Charlotte, Quinn softly sang the words to a lullaby into the little girls ear as she waited a couple of moments before pulling the mask away so she could hear the sound of the tiny infants breathing to determine whether or not one pump was enough. The slight wheezing was still there but Charlotte seemed to be calming down a bit as her airway became a little clearer.

Quinn had a feeling that most of her daughter's extreme fits of crying were down to an inability to catch her breath and not knowing what to do to make it better. The inhaler had been a godsend and had helped tremendously in cutting down on many of Charlotte's bad episodes, although the social anxiety was something that would probably only go away as the little girl grew up and learned to understand people and situations better. Until then, Quinn was adamant that her daughter never be forced into social situations that could otherwise be avoided.

Santana stood watching as Quinn placed the mask back over Charlotte's face and pumped more medicine. It still amazed her just how good her best friend was as a mother, it was like Quinn was born for it. She just hoped that one day, when she had kids of her own, she would be half as Santana continued with her thoughts, Charlotte's cries became much calmer, but the infant was still fussing, the Latina just wished the little girl could communicate what she wanted. All that crying couldn't be good. Standing up from her position leaning against the changing table, the Santana glanced at her wife who had a helpless look on her face and then moved over to Quinn.

"Hey Q, maybe I could try rocking her for a bit, she might just want a change of arms," Santana suggested. Quinn just shook her as she handed her friend the inhaler and mask before reclining her daughter into a laying down position and cradling her head in the crook of her neck. "It's no use San, she wants Rachel and since she can't be here to sing her to sleep, the only way she's gonna go down is by exhausting herself," Quinn stated with a pained look in her eyes. She didn't want to let her daughter keep crying, but she couldn't think of an alternative to get her to sleep. At least not until Brittany spoke.

"Well, if hearing Rachel's voice calms her down, couldn't you play her one of the CD's of Rachel's Broadway shows?," she asked looking between Quinn and Santana. Her wife smiled at her before turning to Quinn. "That's actually a really good idea." Walking out of the room Santana went to Quinn's 'office' room and retrieved the blonde's laptop, knowing full well that her friend's iTunes would be loaded up with every single song that had ever crossed Rachel's lips. Returning to the nursery she flipped open the laptop and typed in the password. Quinn was predictable so it hadn't been that hard for the brunette to figure out that it was 'Dualstar' the last time she tried hacking into it, since the blonde referred to her wife and daughter as her stars, though she did find the reference to the Olsen Twins hilarious.

Upon finally accessing the desktop, Santana made quick work of firing up iTunes and scrolling through the 'RACHEL' playlists Quinn had made and went through the list to find a song that was soft and soothing. Eventually she settled on the solo acoustic version of 'I Know Him So Well' Rachel had recorded for a charity CD and the Latina pressed play, adjusting the volume accordingly. Within seconds the diva's voice began floating through the air around them, softly coaxing Charlotte out of her lingering cries and soothing her, as if Rachel were there herself wiping away the tears.

As the music played on, Quinn placed a pacifier in her daughter's mouth and wrapped her tightly in her arms, both of them feeling the calming effect of the music. But as the song wore on, Quinn couldn't help but shed a tear as she thought about the very real possibility that this could be how their life would be for them if something happened to Rachel. That lullabies may only ever be a file on a computer and never the real thing. Quinn knew Charlotte loved her, but like all children, each parent fulfilled different needs in their child's lives.

Quinn was the parent who read her stories, while Rachel sang lullabies. Quinn was the one who made all the monsters in her dreams go away, while Rachel was the one who soothed her back to sleep. Quinn was the parent who lifted her up and helped her to fly through the air around their apartment after watching Aladdin, while Rachel was the one who danced around the living room with her after The Sound of Music. Rachel was the one encouraged her to eat healthy snacks by feeding her chopped up pieces of fruit throughout the day, while Quinn was the one who would sneak her soft white chocolate buttons when Rachel was out of the house.

Each had a role to play, but what would happen if one parent wasn't around anymore to fulfil those needs? Gazing down at her now sleeping daughter, she placed a long lingering kiss on her forehead before standing up and walking over to the crib, placing Charlotte down gently and tucking her in before reaching over and picking up the little stuffed 'Lucy Lamb' and setting it down in the crook of the infants arm next to her body. Turning around she smiled at her friends before walking out of the room. Santana and Brittany took turns giving their niece a kiss before following suit, finding their friend in the living room putting on her coat.

"Where are you going?" Brittany asked as she took a seat on the edge of the couch and picked up one of the cushions, hugging it to her chest. Quinn rifled through her purse and pulled out quite a few fifty dollar bills, stashing them away in the pocket of her jeans. "I'm going out. I need to clear my head, I-I feel like I'm suffocating and I just need to be on my own for a little while. I-I just, I…," Quinn stammered as she brushed a hand through her hair, frustrated at her own inability to explain the mess inside her head. Luckily Santana had known this side of Quinn almost her entire life and understood the fact that, sometimes, Quinn just needed to run away for a little while so she could feel like she could breathe again. Santana had a similar method for dealing with stress.

Though this was the first time in many years that Quinn had ever felt the need to run away. It probably sounded strange to say that someone would sometimes run out when things were getting difficult, but the thing was, Quinn wasn't running away from her family, her friends or her responsibilities, she was simply running away from the stress, her fears and the pent up emotion she felt inside long enough for her to work through the mess in her head that was eating her up, so that, when she was ready, she could be strong enough to be there for her wife and daughter. It may not be a solution recommended by Dr. Phil or whoever, but it worked for Quinn, so Santana just nodded her head at her friend in understanding, knowing she would only be gone for several hours and would more than likely return in the early hours of the morning.

"You go do what you have to do, Britts and I will look after Charlie," the Latina said, gazing at Quinn with a look that told her to run as long as she needed to, her daughter was in safe hands. Quinn quirked her lips briefly into a grateful smile before picking up her phone and keys and leaving the apartment, her friends watching on, sympathising with her. Once the door closed, Santana took a seat next to her wife and let her head fall back on the back rest of the couch. "Do you think she'll be okay?" Brittany asked, laying her head down on the brunette's shoulder. Santana gazed down at the family picture on the table next to the armrest and sighed. "I really hope so Britt," she replied, resting her head atop the blondes.

Quinn walked around the streets of New York for an hour and a half before she found herself stumbling into a bar. It was a modern establishment and the crowd was the type to splash a lot of cash and get wasted so it wasn't like she would stick out like a sore thumb if she got wasted. One glass of bourbon after another the slow burn of the amber liquid numbing Quinn's senses, almost as if washing away the pain that she had been struggling with for weeks. She knew that alcohol was only a temporary solution to help her deal with her emotions, and once she sorted out her head, she made a silent promise to herself, her wife and her daughter, to find a better way to handle it, but at the moment, it was a welcome relief.

As Quinn sat at the bar, nursing a fresh glass, she was approached by countless men, and women, the flirting obvious to anyone with eyes, and every single time Quinn shot them down before they even had their name out. The glistening of her wedding and engagement rings waved proudly in the faces of those who wouldn't take the first count of rejection. Quinn took another swig of bourbon and then rested her head on her arms that were crossed on the bar. Just as she was getting lost inside her own head, her senses were overwhelmed by a strong scent of perfume that seemed to wrap around her.

"Look I don't know who you are but I'm not interested in wha…," Quinn's words died on her tongue as she looked up, her vision taking a second to focus, before the sight of Shannon standing next to her was all she could see. "Oh Quinn, I didn't even offer you anything yet," Shannon said with a faux innocent tone as she reached over and began stroking Quinn's thigh, "But I could be persuaded," she finished with a sultry dip in her voice on a smile on her blood red lips. Quinn stood from her barstool with haste, like the touch had scalded her and backed away.

"Don't you dare touch me," Quinn hissed, the veins in her neck popping out as she flung a two fifty dollar bills on the bar and walked out towards the beer garden out the back to get some air. She brushed past a few people on the way out, her co-ordination suffering slightly from the alcohol she had consumed. Finally making it to the door, she pushed it open and stepped outside, thankful that the place was deserted. Leaning against a wall she inhaled a deep breath of air and then exhaled, bowing her head to quell the wave of nausea in her stomach.

"So, you're on your own, no wife, no daughter, drinking alone at a bar. Finally ditched the troll then I take it," came Shannon's voice from beside Quinn. Hazel eyes flickered up to find the tall brunette leering at her, turning away and pushing herself off the wall, Quinn made her way back to the door until Shannon spoke up again. "She was never good enough for you anyways." That was it, something inside Quinn snapped, she wasn't sure if it was the nagging, the stress or just pure anger, but before she could register what was about to happen in her brain, a white hot heat rushed through her and she spun around, her fist connecting with Shannon's face, sending the girl crashing against one of the outside tables.

"I'm sorry," Quinn said as soon as she regained control of her senses and realised what she'd done. Shannon gazed up at her as she pressed a hand to her mouth, glancing at the blood on her fingers before picking herself up off the ground. The brunette pushed away Quinn's help as she straightened herself out. "Sorry for what? Not the first time you've hit," she spat as she dug through her purse and pulled out a box of Parliament cigarettes, retrieving one from the box and lighting up. Quinn just shook her head. "Not for hitting you, although I am sorry for that, even if you did deserve it," she mumbled under breath before making her way closer to the girl who was leaning against the wall.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you at cheer camp all those years ago," Quinn sighed, watching as Shannon's eyes almost bulged out of her head. The brunette dipped her head and nodded curtly then took a drag from her cigarette and chuckled. "Wow, _the_ Quinn Fabray apologising, you must be feeling really pathetic right now," Shannon replied, her tone dripping with fake confidence. Quinn just nodded her head in the affirmative as she too leaned against the wall. "Like you wouldn't believe," Quinn responded. Looking out at the dance floor that could be seen through the glass panel that made up the far wall, the blonde puffed out a breath, knowing that they needed to settle this once and for all.

"I was scared. I was so afraid of people, of my parents finding out I was gay that I would have done anything back then to keep it a secret. Hell I'd still be in the closet if Rachel hadn't come along," Quinn smiled as she mentioned her wife. Shannon didn't fail to notice this. "When you kissed me, you forced me to confront a part of myself I was too scared to face and I freaked out. I'm not trying to excuse what I did, I was a bitch and there's an entire high school who can attest to that. But I believe me when I say I am truly sorry for what I did and if I could take it back I would," Quinn trailed off as she looked to Shannon who was staring back with a look that was contemplative, then she inhaled another puff of smoke and exhaled it.

"This, right here," she said gesturing up and down at herself, "this was supposed to win you over. Become the definition of perfect that proudly defined the Cherrio's and you would feel differently. At least that's what I believed. I thought I if I changed who I was I could be the one to win you over, to make you want to be out and proud," Shannon laughed as a tear slid down her cheek, wiping it away quickly as Quinn lowered her head in shame. "Imagine my surprise when I transferred to McKinley and found Quinn Fabray walking proudly down the hallways with the school pariah on her arm, the very girl you used to mock. Do you know what that felt like? To find out that, after changing everything about yourself for someone else, that they were dating someone who was a representation of everything the Cherrio's were believed was inferior," Shannon huffed out a bitter laugh.

Quinn nodded her head, because she understood completely what it felt like to feel inferior, like you had to change everything about yourself so that society would accept you, so that you would be loved. Her own parents made her feel that way, the very people who were supposed to love you unconditionally. Instead Quinn found that love in someone else, someone who made her realise that it was okay to be different and that even if some people didn't like what was underneath, there were many more who would love that part of who you are whole heartedly. That person was her wife.

"You know, I used to be just like you. I thought I could walk all over who ever I felt necessary to get what I wanted. But the thing is, I was wrong. I was wrong because I was pretending to be someone I wasn't, I was just an incarnation of an idea, and idea planted in my head by my own parents," Quinn stated, resentment lacing her words as she spit them, as if removing a toxic poison from her body. "No one ever made me feel like it was okay to be me, to be gay. Everyone just expected me to play the part. Everyone except Rachel," Quinn said, her tone lowering as she remembered that time in her life.

"I tortured her relentlessly because it was expected of me and not once did she hate me for it, not one single time. She actually felt sorry for me, because she could see what I was trying to hide. She continuously offered me friendship even though I shot her down repeatedly and she was always there for me when all my "friends"," Quinn raised her hands to form air quotes," on the Cheerio's were too busy to care about what I was really going through." she trailed off, turning so that her shoulder was now pressed up against the wall and she was facing Shannon, who for once, was actually listening intently.

"My relationship with Rachel didn't just happen overnight, eventually I caved in and agreed to a friendship. It took me a long time to be comfortable enough even admitting I was gay, but she helped me, the glee club helped me. And when I did, and I finally found the courage to confront my parents, Rachel was right there supporting me," Quinn smiled at the memory. She had told Rachel after a glee meeting that she was going to tell her parents after Cheerio's practice and Rachel had pulled her into a hug and told her if she needed anything she would be there. When Quinn did finally make it home that evening, she found Rachel parked across the street waiting for her, telling Quinn she didn't have to do it alone. That was when their friendship had really been sealed.

"My parents were furious, my father just ignored me and my mother told me it was a phase, I would grow out of it and settle down, marry a good man. It hurt like hell being turned out by my parents like that, but part of me felt so relieved to finally be out," Quinn sighed and glanced her eyes up to high heaven as she thought about the weight that had been lifted from her shoulders at the time. "That was when my feelings for Rachel really started to develop. She was so wonderful to me during that time, always making sure I was okay, listening to me when I just needed to vent and just, being there for me," she recalled. Shannon was engrossed in the story. Sure she had read bits and pieces from interviews Quinn had given but they had never been this in depth. She felt like she was getting an inside scoop that the rest of the world wasn't privileged enough to share in.

"The first time I kissed her, we were in the choir room, we were sitting at the piano, she was rehearsing a song and something just came over me. And I kissed her," Quinn chuckled lightly as she remembered the stunned look on Rachel's face after it had happened. She thought the diva looked adorable. "She didn't kiss me back, she was pretty shocked that I had actually done it, but when I went to apologise, she grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me back in for a kiss and it was, it was magical." Shannon couldn't help but snort a little at the dreamy look on Quinn's face. "She told me afterwards that she'd had feelings for me for a while, and that was it, our relationship just built itself up from there."

Taking another couple of drags from her cigarette, Shannon held it for a long moment, allowing the nicotine to filter through her system and then exhaled, though she didn't miss the grimace on Quinn's face at the act. But she didn't care enough to bother apologising, it was her lifestyle choice.

Quinn just shook her head and continued on. "I didn't fall in love with Rachel because of how she looks. Do I think she's attractive? Yes, to me she's the most beautiful woman in the world. But the reason I fell in love with her, is because of her heart. Rachel is the kindest, most caring person in the world and the fact that she loves me for me and not who people think I am, that makes her even more beautiful in my eyes."

Shannon rolled her shoulders, did it hurt to hear Quinn talk like that, of course it did, but from the way Quinn was talking, Shannon knew that her pursuit of the blonde was pointless. She would never win no matter what she did or hard she tried. She hated to admit it but she had to accept defeat, and at least now she knew that Quinn did remember her and had apologised, even if it meant very little at this point.

"I never hated Rachel," Shannon admitted, startling Quinn who clearly wasn't expecting such a confession. "I mean she's not my favourite person and she was annoying as hell in high school, but I never hated her. I was jealous. She had you, and she got you without having to change who she was. I envied her," Shannon finished wiping away a fallen tear. Quinn bowed her head and looked away, not sure if Shannon would appreciate her staring at her in her emotional state.

"Look, I'm willing to put this behind us if you are. But if we're to do this, I need you to back off and leave me and my family alone," Quinn pleaded, "deal?" she asked as she raised her hand for Shannon to shake, hoping the other girl would take the bait. Shannon hesitated as she glanced at the hand that was being offered to her, eventually she sighed and shook Quinn's hand, feeling slightly relieved that the hostility would be gone, even if she was to blame for it all. "Deal" she agreed. Quinn smiled at her before pushing herself off the wall and making to leave. Before she walked back through the door she turned to Shannon and made a hand gesture that imitated smoking.

"You should really quit that you know, it's ten seconds of your life you won't get back," she stated in a matter of fact tone and Shannon didn't miss the serious glint in Quinn's eye, before the blonde headed back through the door and into the bar. The place had filled up quite a bit since Quinn and Shannon had retreated outside and Quinn was aware of the fact that someone people were giving her second glances. She needed to get out of there before someone really noticed who she was. Making her way through the crowd she hit the exit and made her way out onto the cold streets of New York, flagging down a cab and jumping in, she thought about heading straight home until she decided that there was somewhere else she needed to be at that moment.

The taxi pulled up and Quinn jumped out after giving the cab driver a pretty nice tip. Making her way inside the building she walked across to the elevator and pressed the button for the floor she was seeking and then waited patiently until it arrived at her desired destination. Exiting the lift, she walked down the corridor, smiling at the nurse sitting at the nurse's station before making her way to room 314 and quietly making her way inside. A soft smile spread across her faces as she watched the peaceful state of her wife's sleeping form on the bed.

Moving over to the bed, Quinn sat down in the seat that had been left there earlier and, as gently as she could, she grasped her Rachel's hand in her own, careful not to wake her wife from her peaceful slumber, though it was unlikely with the pain medication she had been given earlier. Once she had a hold of the hand, she gently cupped in both of her own and brought it to her lips, gently caressing it with her lips as she placed soft kisses it to it. It was then that she noticed her knuckles had started to bruise from her confrontation with Shannon and she allowed a tear to fall. Gazing at her wife's face she inhaled sharply.

"I'm sorry Rachel, I'm so sorry," she managed through a choked sob as she released the tears she had been holding back and tugged her wife's hand to her chest and then leaned her forehead against the bed and just released all the anguish that had been building up inside. Even in her unconscious state, Rachel was still providing her wife with the comfort she so desperately needed, that only she could provide. It wasn't hard to wonder if Quinn would ever find that kind of comfort in any other person.

A couple of hours later, Quinn walked through the door of her penthouse and was grateful for the silence that welcomed her when she walked inside. Closing the door behind her she leaned against it momentarily inhaled a deep breath and released it through her nose. Glancing at the watch on her wrist she noticed that it was five in the morning. Santana and Brittany had obviously gone to sleep in the guest bedroom, so before trying to go catch few hours of sleep, Quinn made her way down the hall and crept inside the nursery to check on her daughter.

Glancing down into the crib she noticed that Charlotte was wide awake and was currently tugging on the ear of Lucy Lamb. "Hi baby," Quinn whispered as she reached down lifted the infant into her arms, hugging her close as she stepped to the side, sat down in the rocking chair and lay Charlie down in her arms so she could look her baby in the eyes. "You know, we've been having a really tough time lately, and I know it's been hard for you not being with your Mama all the time," Quinn said in a hushed voice as brown eyes gazed up at her as she spoke.

"You see, Mama's really sick right now and she's been taking lots of medicine to help her get better, and sometimes, they make her really tired and she can't play sometimes. But she loves you so much, and she's trying really hard to get better so that she can do so many fun things with you," Quinn's voice strained a little as tears began to fall and voice wavered. Reaching out she grasped a hold of her daughter's little hand gently held it in her own.

"But I want you to know something okay," Quinn said as she wiped away tear with her arm, never releasing her hold on her daughters arm. "I want you to know that I love you and no matter what happens, I will do the very best I can to give you the best life I possibly can. You're my little girl and I will always, _always_ protect you, okay. I love you so much baby girl," Quinn sighed as she rested her lips against Charlotte's forehead and held her close. This was what she had to focus on, the little girl in her arms, the future could wait, Quinn just needed to focus on the present and that was exactly what she was going to do.

**So what did you think? Please review, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Talk to you soon **


	44. Chapter 40

**A little shorter than I expected, I've been a little busy lately. Anyways thank you all so much for the reviews I really appreciated them and I hope you like this chapter. BTW, I may or may not have borrowed the likeness and name of a popular One Tree Hill character for this chapter. I do not own this character and all rights go to the show. I was watching an old re-run while I wrote this chapter. **

Quinn smiled as she sat Indian style on the floor of the hospital crèche, Charlotte sat protectively within the little barricade the blonde had created with her legs, watching as the tiny brunette gazed at the little triangle shaped block in her hand and then at the different shaped holes in the cube shaped box, trying to figure out how to get the little block into the box. Quinn couldn't help but giggle at the look of both wonder and concentration on her daughter's face, she knew the blocks went inside the box, she just couldn't figure out how they went in.

Charlotte tried jamming it into the little hole that was shaped like a rectangle, but the little block in her hand seemed to refuse to co-operate. At six months old, Charlotte had managed to really impress her mother, most babies would usually just take the block and try to stick it in their mouth or throw it, but Charlotte seemed to be know exactly what she had to do with it, even if she couldn't quite figure out that each of the blocks fit a corresponding shaped hole. But hey, baby steps right? It didn't stop Quinn from planning her daughter's future acceptance to Yale or Harvard.

A nurse walked into the room and smiled when she spotted the mother and daughter duo. There were a couple of other toddlers in the room being looked after by staff nurses, but it wasn't uncommon to find the odd parent lingering around the place and the nurse was well aware of this particular families circumstances. It broke her heart if she was being honest, she was well aware of who Quinn and Charlotte were and that Rachel was a patient, but her job, and her own moral conscience stopped her from ever revealing anything to the always curious press.

After signing in for the day at the office desk, the nurse removed her coat to reveal a pale pink nurses uniform, a few small animals stitched onto the pocket on her shirt that housed several pens. Walking out into the play area, she smiled at some of the toddlers who waved at her and she conversed with one of the nurses who was about to clock off before making her way towards Quinn. The blonde seemed to sense her presence as her head turned up to face the nurse. Quinn offered her a small smile before tightening her grip around her daughter's midsection with her arms to steady her balance as she leaned the little girl back against her stomach, the blonde using her body as a support.

"You know we don't usually take people over the age of five, but I'm sure we can make an exception for you cutie pie," the nurse said, gazing directly at Charlotte. Quinn chuckled at the obvious joke about her presence in the crèche, Charlotte also beaming up at the nurse with her mega-watt smile that always won people over. "I'm Brooke," the nurse said placing her hand on her chest. Quinn smiled at the woman standing over her and then removed an arm from around her daughter, offering the nurse her hand, "Quinn," she replied.

Quinn gathered Charlotte into her arms and lifted her up and then she herself climbed off the floor and stood up, Brook placing a hand on her forearm to help steady her. Once the blonde was safely back on two feet the nurse pointed to the seats behind them and they both sat down, Charlotte happily settled in her mother's lap. "You know, you can leave her here with us. I know it can be scary sometimes leaving your kid with strangers but we're actually really nice people," Brooke said with a teasing tone.

Quinn regarded her for a moment before snorting at the comment, realising how pathetic she must look hanging around the crèche with her baby when the very idea of the place was to leave your child there so you could visit your family or friend without having to juggle a baby. That had been the idea when she arrived, but when she reached Rachel's hospital room the diva was asleep so Quinn decided to chill out with her daughter rather than sit around in the room while Charlotte was on her own. Glancing up at the nurse, Quinn regarded her for a moment, she was pretty. Dark brown hair and emerald eyes that had little flecks of brown, similar to Quinn's, and a little beauty mark on her right cheek. Her smile as soft and genuine but held a little undertone of mischief. Quinn could tell that Brook used to be a bit of a trouble maker in school.

"I know," Quinn finally spoke as she took the pacifier Charlotte was jiggling in her hand. "That was the original plan but, Rachel's asleep so I figured I'd come down here and sit Charlie instead of sitting in a quiet room with just my thoughts." Brook gave Quinn a sympathetic smile as she watched the blonde lean her cheek against the top of her daughters head, they were a ridiculously cute pair, and when Charlotte leaned back further into her mother's embrace and buried her face in the warmth of the crook of Quinn's neck, Brooke's heart melted.

"She's an adorable little thing," Brooke sighed as she crossed her left leg over her right. Quinn beamed at the declaration. "Thanks. You know I hear that so often from people, you'd think it'd be second nature by now, but it still feels amazing to hear things like that," the blonde said as she placed the pacifier back in Charlotte's mouth and smiled at her little girl. Brooke just smiled, "Well it's true, I think you have a future heartbreaker on your hands, she's gonna have the boys and the girls chasing after her," she said, giggling at the look of terror that crossed Quinn's face at the mere thought of Charlotte bringing home her first boyfriend or girlfriend.

"Okay let's move swiftly along, it is far too soon for me to suffering from high blood pressure worrying about that. She's only six months old," Quinn said with a light hearted chuckle, the vibration from her throat alerting Charlotte who giggled in turn as she felt it against were her head was resting, a chubby little hand coming to rest against her mother's cheek trying to encourage her to do it again, to which Quinn obliged. The moment was broken when another nurse walked into the room and walked straight over to where the girls were sitting.

"Miss Fabray, your wife's awake now if you want to go on up to her room," the middle aged woman said, smiling at Brooke before leaving the room. Quinn stood from her chair, balancing Charlotte against her hip and accepted the purse Brooke had picked up and handed to her as she stood from her own seat. "Thank you," Quinn said, placing the strap of the purse on her shoulder. Brooke just smiled and waved off her thanks before turning her attention to Charlotte. "It was fun hanging out with you Charlotte," she spoke in a gentle voice as she shook the little girl's hand.

"I would say I hope to hang with you again soon but that's probably not what people want to hear at a hospital," Brooke said to Quinn, her nose scrunched up in amusement. Quinn laughed at the statement, "you and me both, but it's a long road we're on so maybe you will be seeing Charlie again, huh baby," Quinn said her attention on her daughter as she bounced her on her hip, Charlotte smiling around the pacifier in her mouth. Brooke couldn't help but felt a tug in her heart for the little family having to endure what they were going through and she genuinely wished things would work out for them.

"C'mon baby, let's go see Mama," Quinn beamed, her daughter smiling just as brightly at the mention of her other mother. With one last goodbye to Brooke the blonde made her way out of the crèche and quickly made her way down the hall and into the elevator tapping the button for the floor Rachel's room was on. She stepped to the side when a man in his early thirties bounded inside just before the doors closed and smiled at him before turning her attention to her daughter, who was intrigued by the reflection the metallic walls gave off. Less than a minute later the robotic voice sounded through the intercom announcing the floor they had arrived on and once the doors opened Quinn stepped outside and made her way down the corridor.

Rachel's room was the third on the left so they didn't have too far to walk and once they reached the door, both Fabray girls were bursting with with joy at the sight of Rachel propped up against the pillows on her bed, a smile of pure bliss etched across her face at seeing her wife and daughter. "Hey," Rachel croaked through a voice that clearly hadn't been used much. Quinn wrapped her arms tightly around her excited daughter who seemed to be trying to leap from her arms onto the bed. Walking over to the bed she leaned down and captured her wife's lips in a kiss that evoked passion and longing.

"Hey beautiful," Quinn smiled as she lifted Charlotte towards her Mama so Rachel could give her a kiss. Once the little girl had received the proper dose of affection, Quinn took a seat on the edge of the bed and deposited Charlotte in the space between her body and Rachel's, careful to prevent the infant from accidentally hitting off of the divas extremely sore and tender abdomen from the liver resection. Reaching out, Quinn grasped her wife's hand in her own and gave it a loving squeeze. Rachel gave her a groggy grin, squeezing it back while gazing into those hazel eyes that gave away all of the blonde's true emotions.

"So, how have my girls been doing? Have you gotten her to settle down at night at all?" Rachel asked, genuinely concerned that Charlotte may still have been keeping her mother awake with restlessness. Quinn shook her head and smiled down at her daughter. "Nope. It's taken a couple of days but she's starting to get used to this, _new,_ routine," Quinn explained, although she was cautious not to reveal that they played MP3's of Rachel singing to get the little girl to sleep. Something inside telling her to spare that detail so not to upset her wife who she knew, would love to be able to sit at home in the nursery to sing Charlotte to sleep with a lullaby.

"So no other problems, she's still good on the inhaler?" Rachel asked, her motherly instincts and general curiosity about how her family was coping getting the better of her. Quinn couldn't help but lean forward and plant a slow languid kiss on her wife's lips. Even after having half of her liver removed and the looming date with yet another round of treatment, Rachel was still more focused and concerned about her wife and daughter's wellbeing than her own. "No other problems. The inhaler is working a treat, and Santana, Britt, Puck and everyone have been really great, they've really been helping us out," Quinn responded, running a hand over her daughter's hair, smoothing it out. Rachel visibly relaxed in the knowledge that her friends were taking care of her family, it really meant a lot to her.

"I miss you guys," Rachel stated sincerely, an air of sadness underlying her tone, as she lay back against the pillows just gazing at the women in her life, her eyes glazing over with unshed tears. All she wanted was to be home, with the people she loved, just doing normal things like watching Finding Nemo or sitting on the living room floor watching Charlotte playing with Arthur. But she couldn't and it was eating her up inside having to wait for visiting hours just to be able to be close to Quinn and baby Charlie. Rachel had fought so hard all those years ago to be able to start a family with her wife and spend the rest of their days living blissfully in their New York home.

But the longer she stayed in hospital the more she questioned why she bothered? What was the point of it all if this was what was in her destiny, to slowly fade away within the crippling knowledge that the perfect family she had always dreamed off could end up existing without her. But she knew deep down the reason why she fought. She fought for Quinn, for Charlotte, for the love she felt for both of them that ran deeper than any disease that wracked her body ever could. Seeing the conflict in those perfect brown eyes, the very eyes that always anchored Quinn back to solid ground made the blonde's brow furrow in concern. So Quinn reached up a hand and cupped the diva's cheek in the palm of it, her thumb gently stroking pale skin as her forehead came to rest against her wife's, Charlotte carefully sandwiched between the two.

"We miss you too. More than you'll ever know," Quinn whispered as she gazed deep into Rachel's eyes, before capturing her lips in a kiss that literally left them both breathless. It offered both women everything they needed in that moment, love, comfort, support. It was more than just a kiss shared between lovers. It was a declaration that nothing was going to tear them apart that wasn't God's will. This was Quinn and Rachel sharing a moment similar to the many other moments in their loves that have helped them to momentarily forget the stresses and strains of the lives and remember what was in important, which was their love for each other and their love for the daughter.

Just as they were about to get lost in another stolen moment, a very soft, gentle, baby voice stopped them in their tracks. "Mmma." Rachel and Quinn glanced at each other wide eyed before Quinn leaned back so they both had a better view of their daughter. "What did you say baby?" Quinn asked as she lifted Charlotte onto her lap and coaxed her to repeat what she had just done. Charlotte's head turned towards Rachel, a little hand lifting up as she pointed at the diva. "Ma," a high pitched voice announced as the little girl began to bounce on Quinn's knee in excitement. Tears streamed down both girls cheeks at the feeling of pride and joy they felt hearing their daughter's first word.

"That's right baby, I'm your Mama," Rachel replied gripping Charlotte's outstretched hand kissing the little fingers. Quinn gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek before reconnecting her hand with Rachel's and squeezing. This was the light in the darkness, an experience they would treasure for the rest of their lives. "I can't believe it, she said her first word," Quinn spoke through a tear choked voice that fully displayed just how much it meant to her to hear Charlotte say her first word. Especially given it was directed at Rachel. Trust their daughter to be the one to make everything else in their lives seem insignificant, even if it only lasts for a little. For the girls, it was long enough and it was greatly appreciated. With whispered 'I love you's' Quinn and Rachel sat there and spent the rest of the afternoon basking in the joy of parenthood, the rest of the world could wait.

**Well I hope you enjoyed this because in the next chapter…. I'm bringing the pain. Please review I'd love to hear your thoughts. Talk to you soon **


	45. Chapter 41

**Update! Thank you all so much for your reviews I love reading them. Hope you like the update.**

Puck made his way down the corridor to Rachel's room, guitar case in hand. The diva had asked him earlier in the week to bring it along so she could work on some songs and Puck had instantly agreed hoping it would boost his best friend's spirits. Just as he was about to enter, a doctor came out of the room and acknowledged him with a tight lipped grin and Puck responded with his usual tip of the head before slipping past him and walking into the room. Once he was inside, he gazed over to the bed and found Rachel leaning back against her pillows wiping at her face.

"Hey," Puck said as he laid his guitar case down, propped up against the wall and moved over to the bed. Rachel gave him a small 'hi' back, dipping her head to try and shield her face from her surrogate brother as she wiped away the last of what Puck saw to be tears. "What did the doc want?" he asked, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. Rachel just waved off the question with her hand, "it's not important, it's just medical stuff, I don't even really know what he was talking about," she said finally glancing up at him once she had finally rid of the last of her tears.

Puck furrowed his brow as he finally locked eyes with the diminutive brunette, he could see that she was lying. Rachel may be one of the best young actresses of her generation, but she had always been incapable of lying. "Rach, I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid and I don't buy anything you're telling me right now so do yourself a favour and just be honest with me, 'cause I know that dude who just walked out of here is your specialist," he said, his thumb pointing out the door in the direction the doctor had left.

Rachel looked up at Puck, her eyes pleading with him to just drop the entire conversation, but Puck wasn't going to let it go, not out of some stupid selfish curiosity, but out of genuine concern for his friend. Bowing her head, Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose, inhaling a deep breath before letting it out. Parted of her wanted to keep whatever was going on to herself and to leave everyone else out of it so as not to cause unnecessary worry or stress, but another part of her wanted to share what was going on to lessen the burden on her shoulders. With one final breath, Rachel glanced back up and gestured for Puck to sit on the bed, which he did.

"They did some tests today to track my progress, the results won't be back until tomorrow so don't bother asking what they said," she stated rather sharply before Puck could even think of asking the question, he simply nodded for her to continue. "I asked him to be straight with me you know, just tell me what his opinion was," she said wiping away a tear that had fallen, a bitter laugh emerging from the back of her throat. "He said he couldn't be too sure until he saw the results but if he were in my position he would seriously be considering getting his affairs in order." Puck bolstered at the statement, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yeah well that guys a jackass, he doesn't even have your results, what does he know," he said, rage building up inside him as he thought of the diva alone in this room hearing those words with no family or friends around to offer her comfort. "What are you gonna tell Quinn?" he asked knowing Rachel couldn't hide this from her wife. The diva choked back a sob at the thought of her family, she would have to tell Quinn, there was no way she could keep it from her, and she wanted her wife there with her when the test results came back. She just wasn't sure if she could handle seeing the devastation on the blonde's face of the doctor was right.

"I don't know," she sighed wiping at her cheeks to rid of the tear stains, "I made a promise to her that I would always, _always_, be there for her and for Charlotte. How am I supposed to look her in the eye and tell her that I might have to break that promise?" At the pained look on Puck's face, Rachel lost all control and allowed her tears to fall freely. Unable to bear watching his best friend break down, Puck leaned forward and wrapped his arms tightly around his best friend, holding her close against his chest and resting his cheek atop her head, trying desperately to keep his own tears at bay but failing miserably.

What hurt him most in this situation, aside from the fact his best friend was in pain, was the fact that there was nothing he could do to make it go away. There was no way he could just sit there and tell her everything was going to be okay because it wasn't. There were no words of comfort he could offer that would do anything to alleviate hurt. All he could do was sit there and hold the girl who was like a sister to him and pray to God for some sort of help or sign, anything to guide him through this moment.

This wasn't Puck's area of expertise at all. This was usually left to Quinn, Santana or Kurt. Puck was the one to come along and do something fun or a little bit reckless with Rachel when she needed cheering up. Sure, sometimes Quinn would cuss him out for it, but usually she apologised once she realised it actually did do her wife some good. So you see, this place he found himself in right now, with his best friend sobbing her heart out, this was a little unnerving for Puck. But the one thing he was sure or, was that he would do anything for this girl, and if holding her and allowing her to just work her way through the pain was what she needed, he was going to make sure she knew he was there for her.

That afternoon, Quinn couldn't contain her laughter when she turned around in the elevator to find her daughter, in Blaine's arms having just untied his bowtie, fighting against the former Warbler for ownership over the silky material. Kurt just shook his head and went back to skimming through his iPhone before the elevator dinged and the doors opened. The trio stepped out and walked down the corridor, Blaine softly singing 'Rainbow Connection' to Charlotte who seemed to be enjoying it, however once they reached the room her eyes instantly lit up as they landed on Rachel and she beamed with joy.

"Ma," she squealed, gaining the attention of Rachel and the gentleman sitting in the room in a suit. Quinn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she gazed at the man, Rachel hadn't mentioned there being anyway else visiting. Kurt was about to ask the blonde who the man was until he saw the look on her face and realised that she was just as clueless to the identity of the well-dressed man in the room. Turning around he looked to Blaine whose attention was caught between keeping Charlotte from leaping out of his arms and trying to decipher the slight tension in the room. Quinn walked over to the bed and placed a kiss on her wife's forehead.

"Hey baby, I didn't know you were expecting company," Quinn said with an inquisitive tone. Rachel gave her a nervous smile before glancing at her friends and asking them with her eyes to give them so privacy. Kurt put a hand on his chest and glanced at his boyfriend who nodded at him and then turned back to face everyone else. "You know I could really do with a coffee, why don't Blaine and I take Charlotte down to the cafeteria and give you guys a moment," he said as he blindly reached out and gestured for Blaine to deposit Charlotte in his arms. The warbler waited on until his boyfriends gaze was focused on the little girl before handing her over and then the trio exited the room, much to Charlotte's displeasure.

Quinn watched as they left, and once they were out of sight, she turned back to her bed ridden wife, feeling extremely uneasy at the anxious look she was receiving. Rachel pressed the palm of her hands into the mattress and tried to push herself up as best she could, the sudden throbbing pain in her abdomen halting her movements as well as the careful hand pressing against her shoulder to stop her. Once she was settled back against the pillows, she gazed up into waiting hazel eyes and exhaled deeply, she just had to tell her wife the truth, get it over with, like ripping off a band aid, although everyone knew that regardless of how quickly you tore it off, it still hurt like a bitch.

"Quinn, this is Harland Williams, my lawyer. He's been helping me to draw up my will," Rachel finally responded, her voice dipping at the end as if hoping her wife wouldn't hear her, but from the stricken look on the blonde's face, Rachel knew that she had. Quinn pinched the bridge of her nose and closed hers, drawing in deep breaths and she battled with herself to remain calm. Getting upset or angry wouldn't get her the answers she wanted. Pulling her hand away from nose and letting it fall to her side, she braced her other hand against the short piece of side boarding near the head of the bed.

"Why? I thought we agreed that when you got out of the hospital that we would do up _our_ will together. So why are you doing up your own?" Quinn asked her voice cracking as she spoke, barely managing to keep her tears at bay. Logically, she knew why her wife would be considering doing something like this, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt like hell to have to think about Rachel's mortality, to consider the fact the diva may need to think about these things.

A will was for older people and people who lived high risk lifestyles or worked dangerous jobs. Not young women with families. It wasn't right that Rachel was even thinking about this kind of thing, let alone actually going through with it. I mean sure they had both agreed to draw up a joint will after Charlotte was born but that was more to figure out guardianship of their daughter should anything happen to them. But this, this was Rachel figuring out what she wanted to happen should anything happen to her and Quinn and Charlotte were left behind. This was Rachel being practical under the circumstances and Quinn knew that, deep down she knew it, so why did it hurt so much?

"Why don't I give you ladies some privacy to discuss this situation as a couple," Harland spoke up, growing a little uncomfortable sitting off to the side like a third wheel that was just getting in the way. Rachel turned to the man and smiled, nodding her hand as he stood from his seat and picked up his suit jacket, putting it on and gathering up all the documents and placing them back in his briefcase. "I have a few things I need to do back at the office, so whenever you're ready to finish this off call up my assistant and she'll arrange a time for us to reconvene," Harland said as he removed his Blackberry from the inside of his inside coat pocket. Rachel thanked him and watched him exit the room before turning eyes back on her visibly upset wife.

"Quinn, Quinn c'mere," Rachel called out, offering her hand to her wife. Quinn glanced at Rachel and then down at the offered hand, a tear sliding down her cheek but she quickly wiped it away with her left hand and then laced her right hand with her wife's before moving to sit on the edge of the bed, as close to Rachel as she could get. The diva gave her a soft smile as her thumb began rubbing soothing circles over the back of Quinn's hand, trying to offer her whatever comfort she could since she couldn't physically sit up and hug her which proved to more painful to Rachel than the actual act would have been itself.

"Baby, look at me," Rachel pleaded as she dipped her head to catch Quinn's eye, her hand gently squeezing her wife's encouraging her to look up, eventually the blonde acquiesced and met her wife's gaze and wiped at her face as she collected her thoughts so she could speak, Rachel waiting patiently for her to work through whatever was going on in her head, until finally Quinn spoke. "I just, why now? What's changed that made you think of this now? Are you giving up?" she asked almost fearful of the answer. Rachel recoiled at the question.

"WHAT? NO! God no!," Rachel stated, trying to lean forward to reach out for her wife but a sudden stabbing pain in her stomach stopped her. Quinn shot forward, her arms wrapping around Rachel, leaning her back against the pillows as she rested her forehead against the diva's temple, dropping a kiss to it before pulling away. Rachel breathed through the pain, her hand coming to rest gently over her abdomen, the slight pressure actually doing enough to draw her mind of the throbbing. Once the worst of the pain had passed Rachel opened her eyes and met Quinn's concerned gaze.

"I am not giving up, ever. As long as there is a fight to be fought, I will, with everything I have inside me," Rachel stated resolutely, her hand squeezing Quinn's to back up her determination, a tear falling from hazel eyes at the relief she felt from that reassurance. "You and Charlotte are everything to me, that's why I'm doing this. I need to be sure that if anything were to happen to me that you would be taken care of. If this has taught us anything Quinn, it's that we can't leave everything in life to chance, we need to take some control, that's all I want to do," Rachel said, watching as many different emotions crossed Quinn's face.

The blonde struggled with what she was hearing because it made the idea of Rachel's mortality all too real. Sure they have had to deal with treatments and surgeries, but the idea of drawing up a will, really called into question just what would happen _if_ Rachel wasn't around anymore. What would they do? Who would be there to take care of them? Who would sing to Charlotte or be there to take care of her when Quinn was working? Who would be there to pull Quinn out of her workload when she gets lost in writing screenplays and forgets to eat or even acknowledge the day? Who would be there to cuddle them when they were having a bad day and needed those arms around them?

Sure wills were great at diving up assets, sorting out finances and even laying out funeral arrangements. But they were of no comfort in terms of dealing with grief or loss. You lose money you can earn it back. Your house is damaged or destroyed, you can rebuild. You lose the love of your life, the mother of your child, they're gone, and nothing can bring them back. That's what annoyed Quinn most about the whole process, she didn't understand the point? She didn't want Rachel's money or any of her possessions, she didn't want the penthouse and the beach house signed over to just Quinn's name. All she wanted was Rachel.

"It's just, why now? What brought this on?" Quinn asked though her voice was strained from her tears. Rachel swallowed thickly, how exactly was she supposed to explain what was to happen to Quinn without upsetting her. It's not like she was telling her she had to go on location for a movie three weeks and wouldn't be able to see her. At least if that was the case, she knew she would be back once that time was up. But finding out the outcome of the test results that would determine whether or not you were going to live, that was a discussion nobody should have to have or have to endure. Unfortunately for Rachel, she didn't have that luxury, and she did promise Quinn to be honest with her. So, with what little courage she had to get through the conversation, she took a deep breath and laced her fingers with Quinn's.

"I had some tests today," Rachel began, and Quinn was already readjusting herself, bracing for the impact of what she was about to hear but not daring to cut her wife of, "the results won't be back until tomorrow but, they really got me thinking about the future. This is the second time I've been through this and I need to be prepared. We have a family now and as much as I want to believe that everything is going to be okay, I need to be realistic, I need to feel like I'm in control," Rachel said, her voice cracking as her own tears began to fall, memories of her earlier conversation flooding back to the forefront of her mind.

Quinn couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't take seeing Rachel so sick, she couldn't take seeing her having to make difficult decisions in case something did happen. She just couldn't watch and not break. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her wife, careful not to press her lower half against her wife's abdomen, just slight touching so that they were close without causing hurt. Once she was settled just so, she rocked them as they both allowed their tears to flow freely.

"Whatever happens, we'll work through it together, I promise," Quinn's choked voice spoke before she turned her head and pressed her lips against the side of her wife's head, leaving them there for a long moment as she felt the diva's arms tighten around her. As they pulled apart, a knock at the door interrupted them and a sheepish looking Kurt was standing in the doorway with Charlotte in his arms. "I'm really sorry to interrupt, but Charlie really needs her mom's," he said and once Rachel gestured for him to enter, Quinn stood from the bed and lifted her daughter from his arms, bouncing her on her hip as she pressed a kiss to the little girls tear stained cheek.

"You might want to give her a shot of her inhaler, she sounded a little caught up when we were on the way up," Kurt said, his hand pressed against his own chest as he spoke. Quinn nodded her head as she walked over the carrier bag and reached inside for the little blue pump and the mask, removing them with ease. Kurt stood there a little awkwardly having clearly noticed the red rimmed eyes and tracks on both his friend's faces but he didn't say anything out of respect for their privacy. As he made to leave, Rachel smiled at him. "Thanks Kurt," she said and he smiled back before leaving the room to re-join his boyfriend.

Quinn made her way over to the bed and sat down, placing Charlotte on the bed so she could free her hands and click the mask into place. Once she was done, Rachel reached out her arms and held her daughter just under her arms to keep her balance steady as she sat up on her own. Quinn took the opportunity, while Charlotte was distracted to place the mask over her nose and mouth, when she began to fuss, Rachel started to softly sing the words of a Disney song and Charlotte became entranced. It had been so long since she had hear her Mama sing for real that it was almost like she had been given the best gift in the world. _If only she knew_ Quinn thought.

With their daughter more than occupied with her own special Rachel concert and Lucy Lamb in her hands, Quinn finally got the mask to sit right and pumped twice, waiting briefly before removing it and the placing her hand against her daughter's chest to feel if her breathing was still restricted. When everything felt, and sounded fine, she detached the mask from the pump and placed them on the tray at the end of the table behind her before turning around and focusing her full attention on her family.

The following day would determine more than just Rachel's fate, but also Quinn's and Charlotte's and it saddened Quinn to think that her daughter didn't realise how much her young life may be about to change, though if the infant's reactions in the last few weeks were anything to go by she was probably aware of a lot more than they thought. Neither girl was sure which was worse, maybe ignorance was bliss.

Needing to feel closer to her girls, Quinn lifted Charlotte into her arms and stood up, motioning for Rachel to move over a little before climbing onto the bed and leaning back against the pillows beside her wife, kicking her legs up and switching Charlotte over to her other arms so she was resting snug between both her mothers. This was what both Rachel and Quinn had been missing since the diva was admitted to hospital, being able to lay next to each other in bed, to be able to have their daughter with them. It was heaven on earth in that moment and they were going to make sure to soak up every moment as a family.

"I love you," Rachel sighed as she pecked Quinn on the lips before ducking her head kissing her daughter on the cheek. Quinn smiled, pressing her body closer to Rachel's so Charlotte was supported between them before lifting her arms and wrapping it around her wife her hand resting on the side of Rachel's head pulling it closer to her so she could press a kiss to it and leaving her lips pressed against dark locks. "I love you too," she whispered, "so, so much."

***Ducks head under the table* please don't hurt me! I did say I would bring the pain. Though I was cruel leaving you hanging like this. Guess you'll just have to come back to read the next update to find out what Rachel's fate is. Until next time, cheerio loyal readers and please leave a review. **


	46. Chapter 42

**Update! Sorry it took me so long, I intended to update within a week of the last chapter but I actually found this chapter quite difficult to write. A lot of it is written from Charlotte's POV… (Yeah I know, writing a chapter from the POV of a baby, what are you thinking). It seems stupid but I figured rather than just writing an emotional chapter form the POV of the adults like I have done throughout this story, why not be a little diiferent. And this is the result. I hope you like it.**

Charlotte kicked and flailed her little legs as she lay in her crib, her hands preoccupied with tugging on the mane of her cuddly lion bear they had taken to calling Simba since Charlie loved The Lion King so much. The sound of a door being gently nudged open caught her attention, gazing straight up towards the ceiling, she smiled when her eyes focused on the vision of her mother gazing down at her, blonde bed hair tossed just like the mane of the stuffed lion. Clearly her mommy had only just woken up a short time ago.

"Morning baby girl," Quinn whispered, reaching down and lifting Charlotte up into her arms. Now this was definitely a better position for the little girl. Not that Charlotte didn't enjoy her sleep and just laying back and relaxing, she was like her mommy in that way, but it could get a little lonely when you're a baby stuck in a crib with no company for an extended period of time. Especially lately with all the attention she had been getting from her aunts and uncles, sometimes it was difficult adjusting to the quiet alone time.

Propped up in her mother's arms, Charlotte turned her head to face her mommy who had been running her fingers through unruly brown locks to straighten them out. Unlike when Rachel had been a baby, Charlotte's hair was naturally straight but it often got messed about from lying down something that was oddly akin to her mommy's hair. Smiling bashfully at the blonde woman, Charlotte leaned her head down against Quinn's shoulder, gazing up at her with eyes that were identical to her mama's.

This was Charlotte's idea of a good morning hug. She'd figured out quite quickly that people in her family seemed to like hugs and since her arms weren't long enough to wrap around anyone to give them a proper hug she had developed her own special way of doing it. Usually she would lay her head down on that person's shoulder, much like she was doing with Quinn, but every so often she would bury her face in that person's neck and nuzzle her nose there if she was feeling particularly cuddly. The latter had become quite a frequent activity for Charlotte because her mommy seemed to be in need of hugs more often these days.

Something wasn't right, her mommy didn't smile as wide and she wasn't as playful as she used to be. Charlotte figured it had a lot to do with her mama being ill, if that was the case why didn't they just give her mama medicine from Charlotte's little blue pump thingy to make it all better? That's how it worked right? It always made Charlotte feel better, even if she didn't particularly like taking it. Then, when her mama felt better, she could come home and sing lullabies to her and make her mommy smile real big again.

That seemed like it was a simple enough solution, if only she could communicate that with her grown up people. Maybe then everything could go back to normal, like it was before. Charlotte was sure if she could somehow make her Auntie Tana understand her that the Latina would be able to fix everything. Like how she goes all Lima Heights to fix other problems. Yeah, that's what Charlotte would do, she would figure out a way to get her Aunt Tana in on the plan, then her mama will get better and come home and her mommy will be really happy again.

"C'mon, let's get you some breakfast and then we can get dressed for the day," Quinn said in her baby voice as she bounced her daughter in her arms. Charlotte smiled as she lifted her head from her mommy's shoulder and watched the world move around her as Quinn began walking towards the kitchen. The high chair was already sitting near the island from the previous day so Quinn deposited Charlotte in the seat and strapped her in, then went about preparing breakfast for the little girl. Charlotte watched from her seat, always observant of the goings on around her as her mother chopped up a banana and mashed it up in a bowl then poured some yoghurt in on top of it and mixed it all up.

Charlotte loved this breakfast and surprisingly she wasn't a messy eater, she rarely tried dipping her hands into the bowl and dragging food everywhere, though she did like holding a spoon in her hand so that she could "feed" herself. She couldn't quite co-ordinate manoeuvring the spoon, piling food onto it and directing it to her mouth, she wasn't quite there yet on that skill. She did however, mimic her mother's actions, making attempts, even if she did end up putting an empty spoon in her mouth but the action always made Quinn smile, seeing her daughter nearing milestones.

Once the food was sufficiently mashed, not too smooth not too lumpy, Quinn took a seat on a stool by the high chair and placed the plastic baby bowl down on it. Charlotte graciously accepted the extra spoon in her hand and happily went about digging it into the bowl. Quinn gathered some of the mixture onto her own spoon and lifted it to her daughter's mouth, occupying the little girl with idle chit chat and impressions of characters from those t.v shows that her daughter loved so much. It was amusing, if a little unnecessary. Charlotte was a good eater and rarely kicked up a fuss, she would happily sit in silence and eat her breakfast, but she simply enjoyed her mommy's company so the impressions could stay as far as she was concerned.

"Now when we're done we gotta go get ready to go see Mama. It's a really big day and she may need lots of cuddles from both of us. Can you do that for me baby?" Quinn asked as she scraped up the last of the mixture in the bowl onto the spoon. Charlotte bounced in her seat, spoon tapping of the plastic of the little table in excitement. This was great news, maybe her Aunt Tana would be there and she could put her plan into action. When Quinn went to pry the plastic spoon out of Charlotte's hand the little girl released it without a fight and bounced up and down as she waited for her mommy to return to her.

Once Quinn had put the dishes away in the dishwasher, including the dishes from her own breakfast a little earlier, she kicked the door closed and retrieved Charlotte from her high chair. Returning to the nursery after breakfast usually meant bath time which was all kinds of epic because Charlotte loved bubble baths but something in her mommy's movements suggested this was going to be a quick wash, no splashing or playing with the bubbles, and she was right. Charlotte barely had time to register that she was in the bath before she was being lifted out of the tub and dried off.

Quinn even made quick work of dressing the little girl. The blonde figured they would be away for most of the day so it was best to dress comfortably. She dressed the her daughter in a pair of jeans, a white "vintage" baby Rolling Stones t-shirt, a gift from her uncle No-No, with a purple knit cardigan and little red converse shoes to match the famous red tongue and lips band logo on the shirt. She finished it off by combing the little girl's hair and putting a thin strap purple headband on that had a little daisy on it.

"Yo Q, you ready?" came the voice of Noah Puckerman. Charlotte bounced up and down on her bottom from her place sitting on the changing table and smiled wide at Quinn. This was great, not only was she going to see her Mama, but she got to hang out with her uncle No-No too. "In here," Quinn called out as she finished tying Charlie's shoes before picking her up off the table. Puck entered the room wearing a black leather jacket, a black Ramones t-shirt, ripped faded blue jeans and biker boots, his favourite pair of aviators hanging from the neck.

As soon as he came into view from the doorway, Charlotte instantly raised her arms out to him and he gladly accepted her from Quinn. "What's up my little rockstar?" he asked the little girl, a grin forming as Charlotte pried the sunglasses from his shirt and got became occupied trying to figure out how to use them. Quinn smiled lovingly at her daughter, rubbing a hand up and down Charlotte's back before turning to look back at Puck. "Can you watch her while I take a shower, I won't be long," she asked and Puck simply winked at her as he walked towards the door. "C'mon monkey, let's go find out what Santana's cousin Dora is doin' today."

Listening to her friend engage in easy conversation with Charlotte, Quinn couldn't help but chuckle, that comment about Dora and Santana being related had resulted in a plate being thrown at Puck's head on one occasion, the second time he earned himself a black eye. But it amused everyone else so they let Santana have her moments. Once the pair turned the corner at the end of the hallway, Quinn dashed into her room, discarding her clothes as she waked towards the en-suite. Jumping in the shower she quickly lathered her body in soap and allowed the steaming hot water to run over her. She had washed her hair the night before to save time, not wanting to take more time away from the hospital than necessary.

Once the soap was completely gone, she stepped out of the shower and dried her body off, wrapping it around her body knotting it as she stepped into the bedroom and proceeded to get dressed. She had gone for a light blue knee length Marc Jacob's day dress with a half sleeve style and low neck scoop. She paired the dress with a light cardigan and Grecian style sandals. Wanting to go along with the idea of comfort, she tied her hair back in a simple ponytail, a few short strands from her side fringe hanging loose at the front. After checking herself over in the mirror, she turned towards the dresser and picked up the necklace with the gold cross and Star of David hanging from it and placed it around her neck, fixing the clasp before straightening it out.

Once everything was in place she made her way back into the nursery and picked up the bag she had packed for Charlotte the night before, double checking that she had everything, nappies, extra clothes, spare pacifiers, diapers, wipes, a blanket in case Charlotte fell asleep and a onsie if Quinn decided to send her to Santana's or Kurt's for the night, a couple of books and toys. Glancing around the room, she checked that she hadn't forgotten anything when her eyes fell on Lucy Lamb. Thank God for Rachel's obsessive compulsive need to double and triple check everything, it seemed to have rubbed off on Quinn over the years and recently she was finding it more and more useful.

Placing the lamb in the bag, she zipped it up and carried it out of the room and down to the living room where she found Puck taking _selfies_ of himself and Charlotte, the little girl propped up on his lap with the Aviators practically hanging from her face, it was the cutest thing ever. Putting the bag down, she walked into the kitchen and picked up the bottles and containers of baby food she had made up earlier and then returned to the living room and packed them away. She smiled when Charlotte looked at her from behind 'her' sunglasses and Quinn couldn't help but giggle.

"Okay, that's everything. We ready to go?" she asked reaching down to lift her daughter from Puck's lap, gently grabbing a hold of the sunglasses Charlotte was refusing to part with and handing them back to Puck who stood up and grabbed the baby bag. "Yup, let's roll," he replied as he headed for the door. Quinn grabbed her keys phone and purse from the kitchen island as she passed and then bounded for the door. Arthur was at Blaine and Kurt's apartment, a decision Quinn made when she realised there was never really anyone around during the day to take care of him. The two men had happily agreed to take him in until the girls were in a position to look after him again so Quinn didn't have to worry about checking his bowls for water and food.

As soon as they reached the underground car park, Puck opened the backdoor closest to the baby seat and then climbed into the driver seat and deposited the baby bag in the passenger side, knowing Quinn would rather sit in the back with Charlotte. The blonde slowly placed her daughter into the seat and worked on the straps, clipping them in place and then proceeded to check that the seatbelt was securely wrapped around the seat. Once she was sure everything was okay, she closed the door and made her way around the other side, climbing in and buckling her seatbelt, placing her arm around the back of Charlotte's seat.

"Let's go Puck," she said nodding at him in the rear view mirror. Puck dipped his head in response and then turned on the ignition and made a quick dash to the exit. Charlotte made numerous contented happy sounds as she gazed out the window at all the passing buildings. She loved car rides, especially when her uncle No-No drove because he liked to make the car do all these weird noises and go so fast that all the things outside the window went by so quickly they made Charlotte's go funny. It was all kinds of fun although for some reason her mommy never liked it and would always give out to him saying he would get a ticket.

Charlotte didn't understand what was so bad about getting a ticket, I mean, her uncle Blaine got her uncle Kurt tickets to some show for his birthday and it made him really happy, surely getting a ticket would be a good thing, right? Ugh, sometimes grown up stuff was more confusing than that Narnia book her mommy read to her last week. Seriously, how could a lion and a witch live in a wardrobe, wouldn't the lion eat the witch? And home come there was no secret world in the back of her wardrobe at home? She'd have to check that out as soon as she got that whole walking thing down. Walking looked easy, but in practice it was a lot harder than her grown-ups made it look, now she understood whey her Mama always said practice makes perfect.

Just as she was getting comfortable, everything seemed to get trust into darkness as Puck pulled into the underground car park. Charlotte didn't like this, it wasn't that she was afraid of the dark, she just didn't like being surrounded by people and not being able to see them properly. Luckily, there was a space right by the elevator and once Puck was parked Quinn unbuckled her daughter and lifted her from the car seat, holding her securely in her arms as she climbed out of the car. Before she closed the door, she picked up her purse and slung it across her shoulder, Puck closing the door for her as she walked ahead to the elevator pressing the button and waiting for the doors to close.

Once they reached Rachel's floor they were greeted by Santana and Brittany who had both skipped out on work to be at the hospital for both their friends for whatever the test results had to say. Santana would never admit it, but she didn't sleep the at all the night before, tossing and turning until she finally gave up trying. She couldn't stop worrying about Rachel, the diva was like a sister to the Latina, she loved her dearly. Sure she called her names and made jokes at Rachel's expense, but that was Santana's way of showing she cared and everyone knew that. But deep down she was loyal to the back bone and she would do anything to care for and protect the people she loved. Rachel had always been there for her and she was going to make damn sure she was there the Fabray family.

Charlotte beamed at the sight of her aunties. This was fantastic, her Aunt Tana was there, that meant she could put her plan into motion. The little girl instantly reached out her arms towards the raven heard woman, requesting a change of arms and was more than happy her Mommy had handed her over. She mumbled a lot of incoherent babble as she watched her Mommy go into the room leaving her to "talk" with her aunts. Santana sat down on the row of chairs and began digging through the baby bag Puck had deposited next to her. This was Charlotte's opportunity. As Santana dug through the bag, Charlotte pointed her little finger towards the bag.

"Dah," she said as she pointed, making the Latina glance at her. "What, this?" Santana asked as she held up the toy phone in her hand. Charlotte shook her head no. "Dah," she said again, bending forward on her aunt's knee to gaze at the bag, the arm wrapped around her waist keeping her steady. Santana again dug through the bag and pulled out Lucy Lamb but Charlotte just shook her head no and so they tried again. Bottle, no, food, no, story book, no, Santana was just about to give up when she picked up the inhaler to move it out of the way.

"DAH!" Charlotte squealed joyously earning confused glances from Brittany and Puck who didn't quite understand what the little girl was trying to do say or do. Santana looked from the inhaler to Charlie and placing the inhaler down, she pressed her hand to her niece's chest to feel if she was congested, which she wasn't. "You don't feel like you need it, are you okay baby?" she cooed running a hand through Charlotte's hair as the little girl tried to reach for the inhaler. Brittany picked it up and handed it to her to see what she would do. The cap was over the mouth piece so there was no way she would inhale anything.

As Charlie gripped the inhaler she began angling her body towards the hospital room. "Ma," she said gesturing towards the room with the hand that was currently holding the inhaler. "Ma," she said as she bounced on Santana's knee to encourage her to move. The Latina wrapped her arms more tightly around the little girl. "Alright, alright, calm down. We'll go see Mama," she said as she stood up leaving Puck and her wife sitting outside as she entered the room. The sound of Santana's heels clacking against the floor tiles caught the attention of the two women in the room who smiled upon seeing their friend and daughter, though Quinn's smile looked slightly more forced.

"Munchkin here wants to kick back with her mommies," Santana said, bouncing the little girl in her arms as she spoke in a chirpy tone to distract the little girl from the tension in the room. Charlotte just glanced up at her before turning towards her Mama and holding out the blue pump in her hand. "Dah," she said waiting for Rachel to take it from here. The diva just threw a questioning gaze at her friend who shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what that's about. I was looking for something to occupy her in her bag and the only thing she wanted was that. You figure it out."

Quinn stood from the bed and lifted her daughter from Santana's arms, grasping the inhaler that was still in Charlotte's clutch. "She wants to give it to Rachel. She thinks it will make her feel better like it makes her feel better," Quinn spoke solemnly. As if understanding what her Mommy was saying, Charlotte broke out in the biggest grin, finally her plan was working. A tear escaped Rachel's eye when her daughter tried to pass her the inhaler for a second time, only this time Rachel accepted it from her baby's tiny grasp.

"Thank you my little star," she said, Quinn lowered their daughter to the bed so Rachel could give her a kiss. Charlotte clapped her hands of her thighs in excitement from her place sitting on the bed. Now that her Mama had the inhaler she could take the medicine and get better. Quinn couldn't help but give her family a warm smile, a warm hand coming to rest on one of her forearms that was crossed against her chest. She turned her gaze towards Santana and nodded at the tight lipped smile her friend was offering her, the one that was silently communicating that if she needed anything all she had to do was seek her out, then Santana excused herself from the room, as she made it to the door, the doctor appeared.

"I'll close the door, give you guys some privacy," she said pulling on the handle behind her as she left. Both Quinn and Rachel stiffened at the doctor's presence and Quinn climbed onto the bed beside her wife shifting Charlie onto her lap and then wrapping an arm around the diva's shoulders. Rachel was anxious, she couldn't read the doctor's facial expressions and it scared her, she couldn't tell if it was good news or bad news. Instinctively she leaned towards Quinn, seeking out the comfort only her wife could offer as the doctor pulled up a seat and sat down skimming through the file in his hands.

Charlotte gazed at the man sitting across from her, he was dressed the same as the nice ladies in the crèche and he wore a white coat like the nice doctor guy her Mommy brought her to so she figured he must be the person who would make her Mama better. Which , if she could talk, she would tell him it was okay sense she had just given her Mama her inhaler so it was all going to be fine now, sense she couldn't she thought she might as well just let him talk to her parents anyways.

It all seemed to be going fine, at least that's what she guessed from the way her Mommy kept hugging her close. The doctor kept saying things like 'progressed' which Charlotte figured was a good thing cause when her uncle No-No played his video games and he progressed to a new level that made him happy. Then she heard the word 'terminal' which had to be a good thing cause usually that meant they were going on vacation and they would get to watch all the airplanes at the airport terminal take flight. The word 'sorry' was picked up too, Charlotte guessed the nice man must have done something wrong cause usually people said sorry when they did something wrong, uncle No-No and Auntie Tana said that a lot.

When she looked up at her mommy's they were crying. Wait….crying? Why were they crying? Charlotte watched as her Mama buried her face in her Mommy's neck, her shoulders shaking from the force of her tears, then she turned to her Mommy who was cradling her Mama's head whispering in her ear that it was okay as tears streamed down her cheeks. This didn't make sense. Charlotte had given her Mama the inhaler that was going to make her better, why were they crying? Her plan was supposed to fix everything and make her mommy's smile, this was all very unsettling.

Feeling distressed at seeing her mommy's cry Charlotte's own tears began to fall as a sob broke from her throat and she began to wail. Quinn, using her free hand that wasn't wrapped around her wife, pulled Charlotte close to her chest and held her tight, dropping kisses on her head before returning to her whispering in Rachel's ear. The doctor excused himself from the room, sound of crying flooding the hallway where Brittany, Puck and Santana sat and they all looked at each other disbelievingly. It couldn't be? Puck dropped his head into his hands, rubbing furiously at his shaved head, while Brittany and Santana held each other close trying desperately to console each other.

While Brittany openly cried, Santana seemed to stutter and stammer, not quite sure what to do. It was like her brain had short circuited, she knew that it was acceptable to cry under the circumstances but her heart seemed to be refusing to believe the horrible truth that had been placed on her shoulders. It couldn't be true… it just… it couldn't. No this, this wasn't right. Standing up she walked towards the door but the sight of the three girls on the bed crying stopped her, like being slapped in the face by a thousand slushees all at once. The reality of the situation was right there in front of her, and all she could do was collapse to the floor on her knees, and curse a Go who could bring that kind of pain on family.

***Sits under the table waving a white flag* I know… I know… I'm the biggest bitch walking the planet, how dare I do that to Rachel, Quinn and Charlotte, you are the devil incarnate. Trust me I felt terrible doing it. But I had to write the story I set out to write and unfortunately this part of the journey it had to take. **

**Anyways, I hope you review because I really can't wait to read your responses, though I'm sweating a lot over the hate I might receive. Anyways talk to you soon and I hope I haven't caused too many tears.**


	47. Review Responses

Hey, so I've been reading your responses and I'm overwhelmed by the love, and also sorry for dashing some peoples hopes of a happy ending, but as I said, I had to write the story I set out to write from the very beginning. I loved your responses so I decided to answer your reviews individually. Some of the answers will probably overlap or some responses to some reviews will be shorter because a lot of them were quite similar but I'm gonna answer them anyways. So, here I go:

**JOEBLACK: **Unfortunately I can't make it better, (well I could because this is fiction and in this world you can make anything happen), but this story was never about telling a made up story. Sure the characters are fake and the world they live in is fake, but the reality of the disease and the emotions people go through are very much real and I felt like, if I made Rachel better when the disease has already spread so far and the prognosis was bleak, then I would cheapening how tough this battle is for people who have had to endure this. At the end of the day, this isn't a fairytale, it's a story based on a very real situation that many people have to face every day.

**Guest: **Yes Rachel is dying, and I'm sorry if that annoys or upsets you, but I want the readers to feel with the characters as they go through it, if I put a warning beforehand it's almost like I'm spoiling what's going to happen and because you're anticipating what's going to happen, it's not as fresh or in the moment as it would be if you were to find out what's happening as you go along.

**Weeziegina: **If you've been following this story from the beginning you should probably know by now to have a box of tissues handy, even the happiest moments can be a real tear jerker

**CarolineSC: **If you read my response to JOEBLACK, you will know my answer to request to make Rachel better. As for writing from Charlotte's POV I have to say I enjoyed it a lot myself because it actually made it that much harder to write. We know how Quinn and Rachel feel because we read about it all the time, as well as Puck, Santana etc. I figured the best way to make this chapter even more emotional is to write it from the point of a child who is completely untainted by the cruelties of life, who is completely unaware of death and what it means. In that way I knew writing it from her POV would be more heart breaking because she doesn't know how much her life is about to change and because she is so young, she'll never fully understand what exactly she's lose because the memories she has of Rachel will fade over time until the only way she remembers her is through a photograph, video or through memories Quinn shares with her. So in that sense I think this was possibly may favourite chapter to write from a writers POV.

**SalGersgirl: **There are no words to describe how much I appreciate your reviews because you give me so much in terms of passion and love for my story and it really means a lot. To have someone feel so passionately about my writing, it really gives me that boost to write when I'm having difficulties continuing on with the story or a bad case of writers block. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right and for that I truly thank you. As for the outcome of Rachel's battle, I'm sorry it wasn't the result you wanted, but as you can probably tell from the exchanges we've shared, I don't write to create ideal situations, I write to tell a real story and I try to tell it by writing about how it affects a person mentally, emotionally and sometimes even physically. That's just the way I am.

**Cburton1995: **I'm glad you enjoyed reading it from Charlotte's point of view, it was incredibly wearing about doing it because I felt a little, oh this is a bit too much like Look Who's Talking, so I had to really fight with myself to continue with that idea, but once I figured out a way of doing it that was slightly more believable I felt a bit more comfortable doing it, but hearing the responses has been great and I'm thrilled I went through with it in the end.

**Gogolax: **Thanks for the review. Hopefully I'll have a new update soon. There's not that many chapters left. There's a couple of things I want Quinn, Rachel and Charlotte to do together as a family before it comes to a complete end, so I'd say there's about five chapters max left, though it could be a little less and then the epilogue and after that I'll be moving on to my next Faberry story.

**Guest: **I'm sorry you don't like the way this story is going and I understand you discontent, trust me I've felt that way myself reading certain fanfics, but as a writer, I understand why certain things have to go a certain way. A good writer has to tell a story and to do that they have to be true to themselves and if I gave in and went down the path a lot of readers wanted me to, then I wouldn't be true to myself and this wouldn't have been the story I set out to write. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but that's just how I feel when it comes to my writing. But appreciate how passionate you feel about the matter

**Blue-Portrait: **Unfortunately happy endings aren't always possible. This story was never going to be a fairytale where everyone gets what they want and live happily ever after. In the real world sometimes we don't get what we want, but we get what we need in the moment. For me Rachel was what Quinn needed, long before she became what Quinn wanted, that's kind of how I always viewed their friendship on Glee over the years. Quinn needed someone to show her that it was okay to be herself and that people would love her for who she is rather than who her parents wanted her to be. She showed Quinn that a family doesn't have to be made from blood, you can build your own family and love them just as much maybe even more. And that's what the Glee club is, the family the gleeks chose rather than the family they were born into. Quinn's happy ending is the fact that she is no longer hiding, she's proud of who she is and she now understands that people don't always expect you to be a certain way. She's free to be who she wants to be and she got to experience the love of a lifetime, regardless of how or how brief it was, not many people get to experience that in their lifetime. And now she has Charlotte, a new love of her life who will continue to help her realise that.

**Wagner710: **I know, I'm a horrible person for leaving it off like that but I have to bring the people back somehow :-P Hopefully I will have an update soon, it might be the end of the week or it could be next week, but hopefully soon.

**Callie1121: **I wish we had a cure for terminal cancer, but we're just not there yet in terms of medical advances, we just have to make the most of the time we can with the people we love and Quinn and Rachel will definitely be trying to do that in the remaining chapters.

**Guest: ** Please don't slap me….I'm quite sensitive and I bruise easily! Lol Thank you for following me I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Surely this can't be the most heartbreaking chapter in a Faberry story? If it is I apologise for causing you such misery

**Theladyinblue: **Thank you so much. From the very beginning I made it a point that I wasn't going to hide away from the pain people endure at the hands of this disease. If I did that I would feel like I was belittling what people who have gone through this disease have endured, not just them but their loved ones, so for me there was no question that I was going to be as truthful and as honest as possible. I'm so glad it has come across in such a realistic way.

**Pao Vargas: **In life, it's always the least deserving who suffer the most. I know it seems unfair but to me, I like to believe that God only challenges those who he believes can rise above it or at the very least the people he knows will stand strong regardless of the outcome. Rachel has more than proven this time and time again whether it was battling against the disease or struggling to get pregnant. It's been a test of character that she has passed with flying colours even if hasn't been able to win this time around.

**Redroseangel27: **Yessssss…..I'm sorry but it's true. I never said this story would have a happy ending. Sometimes the happy ending we get isn't always the one we want. I like to think in this story Charlotte is the happy ending.

**Hazelbutton2002: **I'm not sure if I will write an entire chapter from Charlotte's POV again, I might incorporate her POV into the remaining chapters because I think it will really add to the heartbreak reading how much this is affecting her because she doesn't really understand what's going on and I think that's more devastating than reading how heartbroken the more emotionally developed grown up characters are. So yeah, her thoughts might just pop up again.

**OutOfNowhereHereIAm: **Let me just say this, Charlotte may grow up not having any of her own memories of her mother, but she will grow up with memories and knowing her because Quinn, Santana, Puck, Brittany, Kurt, Blaine, the father's Berry etc will make sure of that. Yes it's sad that what she remembers of her now will eventually fade away, but she will never not know who her Mama is. As for Quinn, I don't think Quinn will be settling down or moving on for quite some time. It's one thing to lose someone you love, but to lose someone who is also your soul mate, your best friend, your home, that's not something a person gets over too quickly. Though in the epilogue, we will see Quinn beginning to move forward, even if her heart is still planted firmly in the past.

**MiniDiannax: **Should I run and hide or have you decided against the whole hunting me down with an axe? I know, it's sad it's terminal, but I saved her once, surely that counts for something?

**IloveDiannaAgron:** …..Even though you said you don't hate me for what I did, I get the feeling you hate me! But I won't hold it against you.

**Author Fact:** The title of the story Saving Me wasn't about Rachel feeling like she needs to be saved, it was about Rachel saving Quinn from the life she had known for so many years and giving her the love and confidence to be who she wants to be and for giving her a life free of shame and artificial love. Rachel saved Quinn, amidst all of the struggle and hardship she has gone through, she made Quinn a better person.

Anyways that's it from me for today Thanks again for all the reviews and I hope you enjoy (however painful it is) the closing chapters of this story.


	48. Chapter 43

**So apparently the outcome of my last chapter cost me some readers. Which, I'm not going to lie, it sucks. But as I said, I had to write the story I set out to write and I appreciate you for reading thus far. As always thank you all so much for your reviews, the response to the last chapter was overwhelming. And to answer a two questions,**

**There will be an epilogue once the story is finished**

**I may or may not write an alternate ending that will disregard the last few chapters. I'm not sure yet, but I might.**

**Anyways I hope you enjoy this update.**

Quinn stood in the dark empty apartment, her gaze flickering from pictures to pieces of furniture to the hallway that lead to the bedrooms. Everything had memories, happy memories, things that contradicted how she was feeling inside. Because inside there were no feelings, she was completely numb. It was like her brain had shut down her body's ability to feel anything because she knew if she were to endure the pain and anger that she should be feeling, that she would shatter completely, and Quinn didn't know if she could survive that.

So she tried to do the only thing she knew how to do when she was alone, she reverted back to sophomore year Quinn, the one who concealed all feelings in a vault and locked it, throwing away the key because that was the best way she knew how to survive. Only problem was, junior year, Quinn had fallen in love with a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, who eventually became her wife and who taught her that it was okay to feel pain and hurt because somebody would come along who would help ease that pain and hurt and make it go away.

So where was that person now? Where was that person who was going to get her through this and help ease the pain and suffering she knew she would eventually fall victim to? Quinn knew exactly where that person was and for that reason, she knew that the person who could help her wasn't going to be able to this time, or ever again eventually. Because that person, her wife, was lying in a hospital, slowly dying, and there was nothing Quinn could do about it. She had to face the fact that her future, and her daughter's future, would be without Rachel.

Charlotte, poor Charlotte. How was Quinn going to cope raising that beautiful little girl alone? Her daughter was just barely seven months old, the fact that she would lose her Mama at a time in her life where her memories will be forgotten as she gets older, that thought alone kills Quinn. After everything they had been through just to get Rachel pregnant, to conceive a child and then everything they went through during the pregnancy, Charlotte was their ray of light, their gift from up above. They were finally a family and now it was being taken away from them, from all of them.

Through everything she'd been through with her parents, and even after, Quinn always maintained her faith in the church and God even if she did question some of its beliefs and teachings. One thing she had learned from Hiram and dabbling in the Jewish faith is that, religion isn't about taking the teachings at face value, it's about taking away what you need to take away from them, what gives you comfort or strength in time of need. Quinn always believed that even though her parents told her homosexuality was a sin, Rachel was sent to Quinn to prove her parents wrong. That love was more powerful than religion, that Quinn could have both her sexuality and her faith.

But as she stood in that living room, alone, she silently wondered what God would do this? What God would put this curse on a young family who just wanted to get on with their lives and be happy? It didn't make sense, she had prayed to God over and over again for Rachel to get better and what, now he decides not to answer? He just decides to let her wife slip away? That wasn't a God Quinn could believe in. All she ever wanted was Rachel. All she wanted was to grow old with her wife, to wake up every day and fall asleep every night with the brunette in her arms. To watch their daughter grow up and who knows, maybe even expand their little family to include a brother or sister for Charlotte.

That was what she had hoped and wished for, instead she was watching all her hopes and dreams fade away before her very eyes and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Reaching up a hand, Quinn pulled the chain from around her neck and held it in her hand. She gazed down at the two pendants staring back at her as a tear fell from her. Clenching her hand into a fist she squeezed the chain before throwing it across the room in a burst if rage, the sound of the chain hitting the wall reverberated around the silent apartment before falling to the ground and laying there, disposed of.

Walking over to the couch she sat down, propping her elbows on her knees and dropping her head into her hands. There were all these thoughts swirling around in her head and she couldn't seem to still them long enough to silence the mess long enough to remember how to breathe. There had been discussions with the doctor about treatments to prolong Rachel's life expectancy, they said they could probably give her about a year at most. A year. One lousy year and that was only with the treatments. Without them they said it was likely that with the rate at which the cancer was spreading, Rachel be gone after five months.

And then, nothing. That was it, after one year Rachel would be gone and Quinn couldn't wrap her head around that. It wasn't like Rachel was going away for a while and would eventually come back. It wasn't like Quinn could jump on a plane and chase her down whenever she missed her. Where Rachel was going was some place Quinn couldn't follow. Well, she could, if she was selfish enough to go through with it she would follow Rachel in a heartbeat. But she couldn't do that, she couldn't be a coward. She had a beautiful daughter who needed her. A daughter who was on the very cusp of losing one parent, Quinn didn't want her to suffer the loss of two.

But how was she supposed to get on with her life alone as a single parent? Every important decision Quinn had ever had to make in her life so far, Rachel had been there to support her, to hold her hand when she needed it and to be the voice of reason when Quinn wasn't thinking rationally. And now she was just supposed to except the fact that she had to let her wife go and move on with whatever life she had left. No. Quinn couldn't do that, the problem was, she didn't have a choice, and that thought alone petrified her, the feeling of having no control over her life and what was about to happen.

And what about the public? At what point did they tell them about Rachel's condition? Did they lie and say she was simply ill and that she was seeking treatment? Did they tell them the truth and have to deal with the millions of people actively keeping tabs on them and the media hounding them? Or did they simply keep it to themselves and just allow themselves to spend whatever time they had left together in peace? It was all such a mess. There was so much to think about but the only thing Quinn cared about was being with her wife and their daughter and spending every second of every day with them because whether she liked it or not, their time together as a family was numbered.

Standing up, Quinn made her way into the kitchen and retrieved a glass from one of the cupboards and then walked to the sink and poured herself a cold glass of water. Raising the glass to her lips she began to down the entire thing without taking a breath and once she was finished she turned on the tap and began to clean the glass, scrubbing incessantly as if trying to remove an unmovable stain. The longer she washed it the harder she scrubbed, a white heat bubbling below the surface inside Quinn, tears welling in her eyes until…_crash._

The blonde stared at the shards of glass that she was responsible for creating. It was like she was blinded by a feeling that surpassed rage when she smashed it against the basin of the sink. Turning to the drain rack next to the sink she picked up the plates and cups that were waiting to be washed and one by one she sent them crashing to the ground until there was nothing left but sound of her own ragged breath filling the room.

Glancing down at the floor she looked at the mess she created, and just likes those plates and cups, Quinn's heart shattered. Slipping to the floor, she curled up next to the mess she made, knees tucked up under her chin and she cried. She cried for Hiram and Leroy, she cried for her friends, she cried for her daughter and herself, but most of all she cried for Rachel. Every one of those people were going to lose something out of this, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, hell even the fans would lose their idol. In one year, maybe even less, it would all be gone.

The sound of the door to the penthouse opening echoed through the quiet, but Quinn remained seated in the floor, allowing her tears to fall. A voice called out her name but it didn't resonate, she remained still, unmoving. The sound of feet shuffling through the house could be heard and again her name was called, but Quinn was trapped inside her own head, wallowing in the misery that had been inflicted on her by the day's events and the harsh reality of what lay ahead for her and her family. All went quite for a moment and then a shadow fell over her.

"Q," the whispered voice of Santana Lopez spoke. Crouching down to balance on her haunches, the Latina placed a hand on her friend's forearms that were wrapped around her knees. She glanced around at the mess, the sight of blood catching her attention. Turning back to gaze at her friend she checked her over until her eyes settled on the distinct image of a gash on the side of the blonde's hand. Gently reaching out for it she pried it from Quinn's knee and held it carefully in her own hand. It wasn't deep so she wouldn't need stitches, but they need to clean it up and bandage it for a couple of days.

"Oh Q, what did you do," Santana asked as she lifted her friend from the ground to stand in front of her. Quinn didn't answer, she barely moved herself, she just went with the gentle coaxing, her brain working on autopilot. Santana turned them her towards the sink and turned the cold tap on, placing her friends hand under the flow of water, allowing it to wash down the drain. Once she was sure it had been thoroughly washed, she pulled it out, switched off the tap and then wrapped a hand towel around the wounded hand.

"Where's your first aid kit, huh?," Santana asked, trying to get the blonde speaking in any capacity, but no words came. Just silence. Turning away from her task trying to find the little kit that the Latina knew was somewhere in the kitchen, she found Quinn staring at the blood stain that was beginning to emerge on the towel wrapped around her had. It made Santana sigh because she knew her best friend was broken, and she had no clue how she was going to fix it. Truth be told, she didn't think there was any fixing the situation they were in. Santana herself had bawled like a baby when she and Brittany had returned to their apartment with a sleeping Charlotte.

Returning to the task at hand, she got to the very last over-head cupboard and heaved a relieved breath when she finally found the first aid kit. Picking it up and placing it on the counter, she removed some antiseptic wipes, a small dressing, a bandage and a safety pin and then walked towards Quinn, broken ceramic and glass crunching under her knee high boots and then she placed the contents down on the countertop next to them. Taking the blonde's hand, she removed the towel, gently dabbing at the cut to rid of the excess blood before tossing it aside.

"This is gonna sting like a bitch but I gotta do it." Picking up the antiseptic wipe Santana ripped open the packaging and removed the wipe. As softly as she could, she dabbed it around the wound and gently wiped across it, making sure it was well cleaned. The ointment from the antiseptic should have stung but Quinn didn't seem fazed by it. She just took the pain, not like it could be worse than how she was feeling inside. Discarding of the wipe, Santana picked up the dressing and placed it tight against the wound, holding it in place with one hand as the other picked up the bandage and began wrapping it around. Once it was around once and holding the dressing in place, she used both hands to finish off the bandage, wrapping it around Quinn's thumb and wrist for extra security before finally putting the safety pin in.

With everything securely in place, Santana put the waste material in the rubbish bin and then lead Quinn from the kitchen to the living room by the arm, sitting her down on the couch and then took a seat next to her, grasping Quinn's uninjured left hand. "Q, talk to me, please," Santana pleaded, her quivering a little as she spoke. A tear fell from Quinn's eye as she stared straight ahead at the wall. "Britt's taking care of Charlie, poor things been asleep since we left the hospital. She was wiped out," Santana continued, and just like that, it was like a switch had been turned on and Quinn turned to her.

"Is she okay? Was she breathing okay? Cause you when she's been crying a lot she gets all caught up and sometimes she needs her inhaler….," Quinn rambled, but Santana just reached up a hand and stroked her hair, shushing her to calm her down. "Q, she's fine. I checked on her before I came here, she's completely okay. What I am worried about is you. I need you to talk to me, tell me what I can do?" Santana spoke, trying not to sound desperate, because in that moment, she was freaking out. Quinn gazed at her with teary eyes and shook her head.

"There's nothing you can do. There's nothing anyone can do. My wife is going to die and I'm just supposed to _accept_ that, and, I can't. She's the best thing to ever happen to me. She gave me love, she gave me a family, a beautiful little girl, and I'm just supposed to let her go. I can't do it Santana I c-can't," Quinn stated as she broke down in heart wrenching sobs. Santana's own tears fell as she pulled the blonde to her chest and hugged her tight. Santana silently through a prayer up above to help her figure this out, she didn't want to let Rachel go either but she knew that eventually she would have to. But the one thing she knew she could do was to honour her friendship with Rachel by taking care of her girls. No matter what.

"Q, I promise you, I'm gonna be here for you, Rach and Charlotte. Whatever happens I'll always be here. You're not alone in this. I'm here to help you, always," she whispered against blonde hair. Her heart breaking as she listened to the sound of Quinn sobbing against her chest. She had never seen her friend this broken in all the years they had been friends, she was sure there would be many more moments to come, but right now she needed to get her out of this environment and away from all things Rachel, at least for the night so she might get some sleep and that someone was around to keep an eye on her.

"C'mon, we're going back to my place. You can stay with us and be close to Charlie." Santana would have told her not to argue with her but from what she had seen since she arrived, she could probably push Quinn off the Empire State Building and she wouldn't even flinch. Wrapping her arms more firmly around the blonde she stood from the couch with Quinn in her arms and guided them across the room. Before heading for the door, she pocket the keys she had used to get in earlier and picked up Quinn's handbag with her phone and purse inside and then they were on their way.

Brittany stood in the living room with Charlotte in her arms. The little girl had woken up a couple minutes earlier and was currently screaming the house down as she cried. When she had gone to sleep both her moms were there and now neither was around and she wanted them. Brittany paced the room with her in her arms, trying desperately to calm her and it wasn't working. Just as she was about to pull her own hair out the door opened. "Britts I'm back," Santana called out. Brittany sighed in relief. Turning around she came face to face with her wife and Quinn.

The sound of a baby's cry seemed to ignite something in Quinn. Lifting her head from Santana's shoulder, she gazed at her daughter and the sight of small tears streaming down little rosy cheeks set Quinn in motion. Walking across the room she came to a step in front of Brittany and lifted her baby into her arms and rested Charlotte's head in the crook of her neck, dropping feather light kisses to tossed brown hair. Stepping around the taller blonde, Quinn moved across the room to the large window and stood in front of it, her body angled so that Charlotte had an unobstructed view of the bright lights of the city.

"It's okay baby. Mommy's here, mommy's here," Quinn hushed as she pressed her lips to her daughter's temple. Charlotte nuzzled her nose into her mother's neck, the familiar scent and the soothing voice already working at calming her down. A small voice caught Quinn's attention. "Mmmom," Charlotte spoke, a chubby little hand came to rest on the blonde's jaw line. Quinn turned her head to gaze down at little brown eyes, her heart torn between breaking and bursting with joy. "Yeah baby, I'm your mommy," Quinn's tear strained voice spoke. "I'm your mommy."


	49. Chapter 44

**(Apologies, I don't know what happened with fanfic, it sent out an update but didn't upload the new chapter. It was out of my control so sorry if anyone was wondering what the hell was going on).**

**Update. Thanks again for all the reviews I really appreciate it can't believe I've over 400. I hope you like this chapter. Just like to point out that the ranch mentioned in this chapter doesn't actually exist. **

**Warning: You might want some tissues handy. **

"Rach, our baby's crawling. I don't like it," Quinn stated as she watched her little girl slowly making her way down the hallway, Arthur leading the way and stopping every so often so that she could catch up. Rachel looked up from her book from her place sprawled out on the couch, smirking at the pained expression on her wife's face. Putting the book down, she shifted so that she was sitting up more properly, wrapping the blanket off the back of the couch more securely around herself.

"What do you mean you don't like it? These are big milestones in our daughters life, we're supposed to celebrate them not agonise over them," she chuckled as Quinn lifted her daughter from the floor once Charlotte had reached her and then turned to face her wife. "Yeah but every time she hits a milestone it shows how much she's growing and it terrifies me. Someday very soon she won't be a baby anymore and that day is coming far too soon for my liking," Quinn said, pressing a kiss to Charlotte's temple. Rachel smiled at the interaction between her wife and daughter before shifting her focus to more serious matters.

"Quinn," she started but her wife just shook her head. "Don't Rach, just, don't," the blonde responded, walking over to the little play area that had been set up in the corner of the room for Charlotte and placed the little girl down on the colourful learning mat. Rachel shifted again, slowly swinging her legs over the side of the couch, careful of the dull ache that was still present in her abdomen from the surgery. "Quinn we need to talk about this, about what's going to happen when….," before Rachel could finish what she was trying to say her wife snapped.

"DON'T! Okay we are not doing this, not now." Rachel gazed at her wife with watery eyes. Ever since they were given the diva's prognosis, Quinn had buried her head firmly in the sand, choosing to ignore the situation rather than face the reality of what her life was about to become. It pained Rachel immeasurably to see Quinn suffering so much and knowing there was nothing she could do about it because the fact remained that what her wife wanted, was exactly what Rachel couldn't give her. She couldn't cure herself, as much as she wishes she could she just couldn't. And even though she didn't want Quinn to have to face life without her, at some point she would have to and Rachel wanted her family to be prepared.

"We can't keep putting this off Quinn. We have to talk about this okay we don't have time to keep putting it off. Please Quinn," Rachel pleaded, but her wife wasn't having any of it. The blonde shook her head and wiped at the tears threatening to spill and made a dash for the door, turning slightly to face Rachel as she moved. "I can't do this, I'm sorry I just, I can't," the choked reply came and before Rachel could say anything else, the door to their home was being opened and shut with a hasty slam, startling Charlotte who flinched at the sound, tears starting to fall.

"Aww, no baby, don't cry, it's okay," Rachel cooed as she pushed herself from the couch. It had been weeks since the surgery and although she was told not to do any heavy lifting, there was no way she was going to leave her daughter to sit on the floor and cry. Walking over to the play mat, she carefully bent over and lifted Charlotte into her arms, a grimace crossing her face at lifting something heavier than a novel or glass since she arrived home. Charlotte instantly settled when Rachel began humming a lullaby into her ear while pressing sweet kisses to her cheeks.

It was in moments like this that Rachel couldn't help but feel like she was being robbed, and the anger she supressed over the situation to save her family from further anguish, began to bubble to the surface. She had spent so much of her youth, hoping, dreaming that one day she would have a perfect family of her own. Her father's gave her a magnificent childhood, one that was filled with so much love and happiness. All Rachel ever wanted, well, besides Broadway, was the chance to be able to offer the same kind of life to her own kids.

Hiram and Leroy taught Rachel the value of love and what it means to find the person who will love you so completely and unconditionally, how much more fulfilled your life becomes when you finally get it. For a long time Rachel believed she would never have that, she was simply the school loser, the unlovable Broadway freak with the big nose and two gay dads. When Finn happened, Rachel though that he was _the_ _one. _That he would be the person to give her the happily ever after she'd been chasing since she was a child.

But then Quinn came along and everything she thought she had found in Finn was tossed out the window. The most beautiful girl in all of McKinley High had fallen in love with her and from that point on Rachel's life had been forever changed. Quinn showed her true love, she showed her what it was to have that person that will stand by your side and be there for you no matter what. Who will fight with you and for you and who will do anything to show you just how much you are loved and once they have done it, will start again from the beginning not because they feel like they have to, but because they want to.

Not one single moment has passed since Quinn and Rachel first got together that the diva has ever questioned Quinn's true feeling for her, because she knew. Because Quinn wore her heart on her sleeve for only Rachel and Charlotte to see and that made the brunette feel more special than anything else in her life. The fact that Quinn Fabray chose her to be the one to see inside her heart and to rest there in the protective embrace of a woman who was stronger than anyone else Rachel had ever and would ever encounter.

And Charotte, beautiful, sweet Charlotte. The baby the she and her wife had to work so hard to bring into the world. Charlotte was the best thing to ever happen to both girls and the thought that Rachel would never get to see so many of her milestones crushed her beyond belief. She would never be there for her daughter's first day of school or her first day of high school. She wouldn't be there to see Charlotte off on her first date or to talk to her about boys, or girls depending on how things worked out. She wouldn't be there to see her off to college or watch her get married. Rachel would never meet her grandchildren.

As much as Rachel wanted to break down over the cruel blow life had dealt her, she knew she couldn't. She didn't want to waste what precious time she had left, she needed to make the most of it, to treasure the time she had with her wife and daughter, to make everlasting memories with her friends, and do what needed to be done before she said her final goodbye. Glancing down, she noticed that Charlotte was drifting off to sleep. Walking down the hallway she entered the nursery and moved across the room to the crib, gently lowering her daughter down and tucking her in for an afternoon nap.

After making sure that Lucy Lamb was next to her daughter she exited the room and made her way to the bedroom. Slowly lowering herself to the bed, she glanced down at the bedside cabinet at the numerous pill bottles that were staring back at her. Picking one up, she removed the cap, poured a pill out onto her open palm and popped it in her mouth. Closing the cap she placed the bottle back on the cabinet and picked up the half empty glass of water that was sat there and took a few sips to swallow the pill. Once it was gone, she put the glass down and raised her hand to her stomach, hoping for the wave of nausea to pass.

The treatment she was on had done a real number on her the first two weeks, but the side effects were beginning to fade and the doctors informed her that, for the most part, they would give her many months of pain and sickness free days to live out the rest of her time with as much comfort as someone in her position could. But Rachel knew that once her time was coming to an end she would begin to fade, that the pain would return, the drugs were just prolonging the inevitable. However, if it gave her more time with her girls, she would take as many drugs and go on as many treatment plans as they could offer.

Opening the drawer on the cabinet, Rachel removed a thick black A4 journal, a pen tucked into the leather strap that tied at the front to keep the journal closed. Untying the knot, Rachel opened the book up and glanced down at the pages before her, pages upon pages of writing, and she was nowhere near finished yet. Flipping the journal to the back, Rachel glanced down at the numerous thick envelopes in her hand flicking through them briefly, before flicking back to a blank page and picking up the pen. Leaning back against the headboard and removing the lid from the pen she pressed it to the page and began writing in her neat cursive script.

It was night time when Quinn finally returned, the house in darkness save for the under cabinet lights that were on in the open plan kitchen and the glow of the television coming from the living room. Placing the bag of takeaway in her hand down on the kitchen island, Quinn moved further into her home, a hint of a smile crossing her face as she her she saw her wife curled up on the couch watching The Lion King, Charlotte on her lap dressed in a onsie ready for bed. Crossing the room, she leaned down over the back of the couch and pressed a kiss to her wife's head, causing brown eyes to glance up at her and smile, before Quinn leaned down further and kissed her daughter.

"I dunno if you've eaten or not but I got us some take out anyways," Quinn said as she tilted her head towards the kitchen and then walked around the couch, taking a seat next to Rachel. The diva thanked her, adjusting a dozing Charlotte in her lap, knowing from her wife's furrowed brows that she had more to say. Quinn grasped a hold of Rachel's free hand, playing with the tan fingers, calming the wave of emotions that had been raging inside since she stormed off earlier that day.

"I'm sorry for walking out, I shouldn't have done that. I was upset but was no excuse for what I did," Quinn apologised, gazing up at her wife with watery eyes and seeing nothing but understanding staring back at her. "We promised each other that we would always talk to each other about everything and be honest and I haven't been doing that. You've been trying and I've just been brushing you off and regardless of how I feel, that's not okay," she stated. Rachel just shook her head, removing her hand from Quinn's hold and instead lifting it to cup her wife's cheek.

"Baby, listen to me, you have every reason to be angry and upset. If I was in your position, I don't know what I would do," Rachel sighed, her thumb stroking across a pale cheek wiping away a fallen tear. Quinn leaned into the touch, needing the closeness that was being offered to her. "I don't want to have to talk about this but the fact is we don't have a choice." Quinn's face scrunched up as more tears feel, her lower lip quivering as she listened intently to what Rachel was saying. This is what she should have done in the first place rather than running away.

"And, I know you don't want to hear this, but Quinn, we don't have the time to keep putting this off. We need to do this, _I_ need to do this." And with that Quinn nodded her agreement. They had to figure things out, for themselves and for Charlotte, she couldn't afford to be selfish anymore and if that meant swallowing her pride and pain, she would do it. For Rachel. Reaching up both her hands Quinn cupped Rachel's face in the palm of her hands and kissed her lips. It was a soft sweet kiss, nothing rushed or brash, she was just communicating her understanding un the best way she knew how in that moment.

"I uh, I organised a little trip for us, you know for when you're on respite from treatment. I figured we could get out of the city, just the three us, to talk," Quinn stated as she reached down to softly cup her now sleeping daughter's hand. Rachel smiled at her wife's words and pressed a kiss to blonde hair. "That sounds great. Where to?" she asked. Quinn glanced up at her gently coughed to clear her throat as she glanced up to meet her wife's gaze and sat up a little straighter resting a hand on the diva's free thigh.

"Colorado. There's this spacious ranch out there the owners let out to people looking for quiet time away. It's near the mountains so we'll have privacy. It's beautiful," Quinn smiled as she remembered the photo's she'd seen of the place. It was more of a luxurious ranch, with a home spa, an indoor heated swimming pool and a games and entertainment room, but aside from the added luxuries, it maintained its ranch like appeal for both the interior and exterior. "It even has horses so we can go riding, maybe even take Charlotte for a smile ride, they can do that with babies now. They have people that come up once or twice a day to take care of them but they don't go near the living quarters so it's fine."

Rachel leaned forward and kissed her wife to stop her in her ramblings. The idea of getting away with her family and finally talking with no interruptions sounded like a fantastic idea to her, just the three of them,. It would be Charlotte's first vacation of sorts. Trips to L.A didn't really count since that was their second home, so this would be it and Rachel wanted to make the most of it so that her wife and daughter would have memories to look back on, or that Quinn could at least tell Charlotte about when she was older. "It's sounds perfect."

_2 Weeks Later, Colorado._

Rachel watched on with a beaming smile as Quinn came trotting up the horse trail with one of the trail guides by her side, Charlotte in front of her strapped safely to Quinn's chest in what could only be described as a reverse baby carrier. The little girl was smiling and laughing the whole way. Once they reached the enclosure, Quinn climbed down with the help of the trail guide, thanking him and then making her way straight to her wife who was taking pictures on the blonde's camera, having already captured footage of their departure and arrival.

"Rach she loved it," Quinn beamed as she talked about Charlotte's love of horses. Rachel smiled and kissed her daughter once her wife was standing close enough. "You should take her for lessons when she's older," Rachel said, causing her wife's smile to dim at what the implications of those words meant for their future. Shifting a little uneasily Quinn glanced up at sun, noticing that it was lower in the sky, it would be dark soon. "We should, uh, we should make a start on dinner, and get this little miss ready for bed," Quinn said finishing with a playful tone as she glanced down at her daughter strapped to her chest, pinching her cheek.

Rachel just nodded and watched as Quinn made her way inside the house. Things had been better between the girls since they'd had that little talk back in New York but even though Quinn was prepared to talk it still didn't make it any easier to hear things like Rachel encouraging her to take their daughter for lessons, when she was gone. Rachel figured she should be more sensitive to things like that but sometimes things just slipped out without her meaning to. Truth be told, she could try and spare her wife's feeling by only talking in the present tense, but she couldn't do that because she knew it would provide a false sense of security for her family she didn't want to do that to them.

That night, once Quinn had settled Charlotte in bed, she picked up the second monitor and clipped it to her front jeans pocket and made her way out of the room, switching it so she could hear her daughter should she need anything. Walking towards the kitchen, she picked up the two steaming mugs of coco she had left sitting on the counter and made her way outside to the porch, where her wife was sat on the two seater swing chair stargazing. Walking over and taking a seat, she handed Rachel one of the mugs while her wife used her free arm to wrap half the blanket she was tucked in around her wife.

"It's beautiful out here," Rachel said as she gazed back up at the clear sky. Rachel rarely got to see the stars in New York, with all the skyscrapers and smog it just wasn't possible and it was the one downside of the city she had been in love with since she was child back home in Lima dreaming about Broadway. When she glanced up now she could see the stars so clearly and then she saw them, those two stars she had named all those years ago and her heart swelled just as she felt and arm rest on her thigh and a hand giving it a soft squeeze. Turning her attention to her wife she saw Quinn staring off into the distance, being all cute and contemplative, it was time.

"Are you ready?" Rachel asked with all the patience in the world echoing in every word. Quinn's head turned to face her and those hazel eyes looked so scared but a nod of the head followed and Rachel blocked out the world around them. Quinn sat their mugs down on the porch floor and then adjusted the blanket taking her wife's hands in her own squeezing them, offering comfort but also seeking it at the same time and Rachel didn't hesitate to squeeze back. She was here for her wife whatever she needed.

"I'm scared," Quinn whispered her voice cracking and a tears tracking down her cheek. "I'm scared of not being with you, I'm scared of having to face the future without you by my side, I'm scared of raising Charlotte without her mom but mostly, I'm scared because I don't know how I'm supposed to let you go," she cried as she spoke, unable to stop the river of tears that were beginning to blur her vision. Rachel watched with a pained expression as she listened to her wife's deepest fears, understanding and sorrow etched across her face as she squeezed Quinn's hands tighter in a bid to stop herself from interrupting.

"You changed me Rach. You made me who I am today, you've given me everything I've always wanted, a family Rach. You complete me, you're the love of my life and don't know how I'm supposed to ever move on from that," Quinn said, lowering her head as a sob escaped her. Rachel couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't just sit there and say nothing she needed to speak, to offer her wife some words of comfort or to at least ease her of the pain she was currently feeling. It may prove to be a futile attempt but she had to try. Wrapping a hand around the back of Quinn's neck, Rachel pressed their foreheads together and inhaled a deep breath.

"Quinn, listen to me baby, I need you to really listen," she said staring intently into red rimmed hazel eyes. "I love you so much, and I know you're scared, I am too. The thought of not being with you and Charlotte, it br- it breaks my heart," Rachel stuttered as her voice cracked. "Baby you, you're my soul mate, nobody has ever completed me the way you do and I know, _I know_, that no matter what happens…after…that I will always be watching over you both." Quinn sobbed at those words, but Rachel pressed on regardless.

"When you look up at the night sky and you see those stars looking back at you, I'll be there staring right back. When you're sitting in front of the open fire at my dad's house at Christmas and you feel the heat of the flames consuming you, those are my arms wrapping around you to keep you warm. When you sit on the beach at night in Cali listening to the waves crashing against the sand, that's me whispering in your ear that I love you. And when you fall asleep with our little girl in your arms and you feel the moment of contented peace, I'm there watching over you both making sure you're safe and secure. No matter where you go or what you do, I will always, always be there."

Unable to hold back anymore, Quinn lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her wife, burying her face in the crook of the diva's neck. "I love you so much Rach. You're my one and only, it's always been you and only you. No one will ever take your place. _Ever,"_ she whimpered, her tears soaking the skin beneath her cheek, but Rachel didn't care she just held her tighter and pressed soft soothing kisses to her wife's head. Later on, they made love the whole night through right until the first rays of the new morning. For most people a new day brought about the promise of a new beginning. For Quinn and Rachel it was one day closer to a heart breaking end.

**Poor Quinn and Rachel. Sad news folks there's only about two chapters and the epilogue left..aww. But then I'll be moving on to my new Faberry fic so… yay! Anyways I hope you liked this chapter and please review, I love hearing your thoughts.**


	50. Chapter 45

**Here it is chapter update. Sad to say there will only be two chapters left after this and then the epilogue. This was going to be the second last chapter but I decided to break it up. Anyways thank you all so much for the reviews and I hope you like this update. **

Decisions had been made, plans had been put in place, the talk had finally sorted out a lot of things for both Rachel and Quinn. I had been painful to say the least, many tears had been shed as they discussed what would happen over the next several months and more importantly, what would happen after. They both agreed that whatever happened, Charlotte was their priority and Quinn made a promise to her wife and their daughter, that she would everything she could to give Charlotte the best life possible, even if she had to do it as a single parent.

Quinn didn't want to be a single parent, and Rachel didn't want her wife to have to raise their daughter without her, but that was the hand they had been dealt and the least Rachel could do was make sure that her family had a strong support system in place once she was gone. Numerous conversations had been had between the diva and her numerous friends and her own fathers. Even though in her heart she knew they would be there for her wife and daughter, she needed to hear from them personally so that she would have that piece of mind and they all vowed to watch out for Quinn and Charlotte, to be there for them whenever they needed a shoulder to lean on.

Santana had been particularly adamant in her declaration. Anyone else would have seen it as Santana just being the hard assed lawyer sealing the deal so she they could move on to whatever came next, but Rachel knew better than that. She could see it in the Latina's eyes whenever she looked at her friend. Santana was scared of losing control of her emotions, like Quinn, she needed to feel in control of what was going on around her, which usually meant that rather than opening up and dealing with her feelings, she retreated to lawyer mode. Treat everything like a client that needed to be dealt with, seal the deal, and then move on.

For the time being, Rachel was prepared to put up with her friends and her family putting on a brave face, because at least that way she wouldn't have to deal with tears and sad faces while she tried to live out the rest of her days as best she could. But she made a silent vow to herself that she would make it a point to talk to them all when the time came closer to the end. She wanted them to know how much she loved them all how grateful she was to have known them. Sure it sounded sappy, but Rachel didn't care, those people were the greatest people she has ever known and she was going to make sure they knew that.

In the meantime, Rachel was determined to make the most of the time she had left, recently indulging a skiing trip in Switzerland. She had never been skiing before and it was something she had always wanted to try. So, once Quinn had finished the last of her scenes for her movie, the blonde had booked them a private chalet and the hopped on a private jet, Santana, Brittany, Puck, Ben, Nicole, Kurt and Blaine tagging along to make it a group trip. It was an amazing, hitting the slopes during the day and snuggling in front of an open fire at night. Charlotte particularly enjoyed sliding down the slope on the inflatable ring with her Mama.

While in Europe, the girls decided to take in some sights, revisiting old favourites as well a taking in new ones. The rest of the group travelled home, leaving Quinn, Rachel and Charlotte to enjoy a family expedition. From the south of France to Austria, where Rachel couldn't help herself but sing songs from The Sound of Music much to Charlotte's delight. They took in Holland, the Czech Republic, and then onto Poland where Rachel took her family to visit Auschwitz so she could see the conditions her ancestors were forced to endure before finding freedom and immigrating to America.

Although they had been informed beforehand that the visit was likely to be emotional, as it was for most people who made the trip, but neither girl expected it to be quite so life affirming. To think that so many people had been so ruthlessly murder on those grounds, and for what? Because some crazed man who felt he had the right to play God and choose who lives and who dies. It made them both sick to their stomach. It was one thing to read about the events of WWII in a history book but to actually step foot on ground that held so much of the suffering it caused it made the whole things so much more real.

Both Quinn and Rachel were so grateful for the freedom they had, afforded to them by the people who came before them. Here they were, two openly gay women, one a Catholic the other a Jew, married with a beautiful daughter and accept by most people they came in contact with. Sure they still received the odd stare or a remark but they didn't take it to heart. They couldn't make everyone accept their lifestyle but the fact that so many had, showed them how far many people had come in accepting love for what it is.

The trip to Auschwitz gave them a deeper understanding of how fortunate they were and both of them hoped that Charlotte grew up with a deep understanding of that too. Before they left, Rachel placed a bouquet of white roses she had brought with her by the fence outside and said a prayer in Hebrew. Quinn wasn't familiar with it so she said her own prayer before clutching her wife's hand in her own and they walked away.

Continuing on their family trip they stopped off in London and then Manchester so Charlotte could take in her first Utd game, even dressing her in the cute jersey Puck had bought for her before she was born that Quinn had remembered to pack. They had the perfect view from their private box and the small family of three celebrated when their team turned out victorious picking up the league cup in the process of their win. It was the perfect end to their European adventure even though it was mainly spontaneous.

Before they returned home, they had one more stop to make. Rachel wanted to return to Ireland for two reasons, one, so she could finally show Quinn the sights she had wanted to show her the last time they visited but couldn't get due to Rachel suffering from morning sickness and spending all their time in bed celebrating the news that they were expecting. And two, because there was something Rachel wanted to pick up that was vital to their later plans. You see Rachel and Quinn were planning on renewing their vows once more, this time with their daughter present.

So after hiking their way around the country, the couple stopped off at the jewellery shop and picked up the items Rachel had arranged with the owners and then they boarded a plane to return home, knowing that they only had a short period of time before they jetted off to Cabo to renew their vows with their nearest and dearest in tow. To say Rachel was exhausted would be an understatement, a side effect of the various different drugs she took daily, but she refused to give in just yet. There were a couple more things she needed to do then she could rest.

And so they found themselves standing on a beach in Cabo the sun low in the sky nearing sunset, the gleeks, Ben and Nicole and of course the Berry men standing around and watching as Quinn and Rachel renewed their vows for the last time, their daughter watching from her place in her Grandpa Leroy's arms. Like literally watching the whole thing intently, there wasn't a peep out of her other than the odd grunt or the occasional 'Ma' or Mmom' whenever either of her parents would glance towards her direction. But other than that she said nothing and listened as her mother's exchanged vows.

"Rach, I tried many times to write out what it was I wanted to say to you today and every time I tried, I failed. Because there are no words in any language that I could use that would do justice in expressing my feelings for you, because you," Quinn faltered as her voice cracked and tears began to leave a trail down her cheeks, "You shatter me and complete all at the same time, more than anyone else ever has or ever could. When I'm not with you it's like I'm an incomplete puzzle, a fragmented picture of the person I can be, but without those missing pieces all I'll ever be is half a being," she sighed.

"Rachel you are the missing pieces I need to feel whole, you and Charlotte. When I'm with you both I'm complete, I'm home. My whole life has been like an unmade jigsaw puzzle, just a bunch of scattered pieces that meant nothing that didn't quite fit. But Rach, all those years ago you took those pieces I thought didn't fit and you put them all together. And when you were done, you created this beautiful image of a girl who is happy, who is loved. You made me Rach. I'm who I am today because of you," Rachel sniffled as she listened to her wife lay bare her feelings.

"I have never and will never know a love like ours ever again, because you're it. You're my one true love, my morning, noon and night, my shining star, my beating heart. And now there are two of you and I can never thank you enough for the family you've given. The beautiful little girl who fills me with such pride and joy every single day with a single smile in my direction," Quinn beamed as she gazed deep in to chocolate brown eyes that were identical to her daughter's. "You're my soul mate Rach, and no matter where we go I will always love you and I will carry you with me, always, right here," Quinn finished as she raised their joined hands to her chest right over her heart before dipping her head and kissing her wife's knuckles.

Rachel momentarily freed one of her hands to wipe at her eyes, noticing from the corner of her eye some of their friends exchanging tissues and dabbing at their own fallen tears. Quinn's speech had moved her in ways she never thought possible. Her wife always had a way with words but she never thought hearing how much of an impact she had on Quinn would affect her this much. Taking slow deep breaths, Rachel closed her eyes and tried her best to gather up some sort of composure, enough to get her through her vows. And then, with one last breath, she opened her eyes and gazed up at her wife melting at the pure love she saw staring back at her.

"You know most people spend most of their lives looking for that one special person who will love them, and care for them, and make them feel special. But me, I didn't have to look for it, because you have always been there Quinn," Rachel said, squeezing her wife's hands for emphasis. "From the very for moment, all those years ago when you told me how you really felt I knew I had found my happily ever after. I was swept off my feet by a beautiful princess and I have never looked back since," she sighed a tear escaping her.

"I always said that I had a thing for gold stars, that they were a metaphor for who I would be one day. But I was wrong. I'm not a star, I'm so much more than that and it's because of you Quinn. Because of you I'm a wife, a mother, a best friend. I'm loved, so completely and unconditionally. You say that I helped fix you but Quinn, have fixed me so many times when I couldn't do it myself. When I didn't have the strength to pick myself up you carried me in your arms and guided me with a gentle hand. You kept me safe and protected and you continue to do so every day of our lives together." Rachel paused for a moment as she struggled around the lump that was forming in her throat, threatening oncoming tears.

"When I see you with our daughter, it makes me so proud. You are so amazing with her Quinn, the way you care for her and teach her every day. I always said that on day, when we had kids, that they would be the luckiest kids in the world because they would have you and I was right. Charlotte couldn't ask for a better mother and I know in my heart that whatever she needs and whenever she needs you, you'll be there. Just like you have been for me," at the sound of her name, Charlotte glanced up at her mother's and smiled, bouncing up and down as she stood on her Grandpa' lap with his help.

"I love you Quinn, more than you'll ever know. I've loved you so completely in this life, and I will love you eternally into the next. Forever and always, and no matter what, I'll be there for you and Charlotte. Whenever you remember me, I'll be there," Rachel finished, tears now falling freely from both Quinn and Rachel. The girls helped each other to wipe away their tears, making sure not to smudge what was left of their make-up and then nodded to continue. Puck stood up and lifted Charlotte into his arms from her grandfather's lap and walked through the sand towards his friends.

Rachel and Quinn smiled at him and then at their daughter. Puck reached into his pants pocket and removed a ring and placed it in Charlotte's hand, the little girl looking at him wondering what to do. "Give it to Mommy," he coaxed pointing to Quinn opened her hand, raising the palm to her daughter who seemed to understand and placed the ring in her Mommy's hand, earning a kiss from Quinn who then turned to Rachel and placed the ring on her ring finger in her right hand. When she was done, Puck gave Charlotte the second and this time she gave it to her Mama right away, repeating her earlier actions, earning another kiss and watching as Rachel slid the ring onto Quinn's ring finger on her right hand.

Once they were done the girls looked down at the matching gold Claddagh rings they had brought back from Ireland. When they decided to renew their vows, Rachel knew right away how she wanted to mark the occasion. She knew that once she was gone, she wanted Charlotte to have her engagement ring when she was older and she wanted Quinn to have her wedding ring, a reminder of _Forever and Always._ But Rachel something to bring with her and the idea clicked in her head. The diva had always appreciated the sentiment behind the Claddagh ring and the fact that traditionally it can be worn as a wedding ring really sealed the deal.

Rachel knew that at some point, maybe a month after she was gone or a year, whenever the time came, that Quinn would at some point have to remove her wedding band. It was inevitable. But she also knew how much Quinn would struggle with that so the diva figured out a solution. A ring that could act as a stand in wedding band, that would help the blonde remember the diva, but at the same time didn't prevent Quinn from moving on, if or when she chose to. Rachel even bought a matching Claddagh ring for Charlotte to wear when she was older that Quinn could give to her do so she would have something from her Mama.

It meant so much to Quinn when Rachel had explained the reason behind it. Okay at first she was annoyed that her wife thought she would ever remove her wedding band, but once she took a walk and had some time to think about it, she realised Rachel was right. So she welcomed the idea of the new rings, after all, she could always wear her wedding band on a chain around her neck if she wasn't completely ready to part with it.

With the sun setting behind them the girls kissed, and kissed, and kissed, their friends smiling and clapping around them as they finally made their way back up the beach to the hotel where they all enjoyed a beautiful feast of various dishes, cocktails and even ended the night dancing and just having fun. It was magical, under the stars with the sound of the ocean in the distance. That night, rather than making love, which they had been doing at every opportunity lately, they cuddled up on bed in their private villa with their daughter between them. Nothing was said, they just gazed into one another's eyes before sleep consumed them.

Two days later the girls were boarding a private jet to Los Angeles, this time, rather than just hanging around their usual haunts, they were planning a family trip to Disneyland. This had been something Rachel had always wanted to do and now that Charlotte was a little older and a lot more alert, they decided that it was the perfect time to make the trip. A private SUV picked them up at the airport and drove them to their beach house, the idea was to get in some much needed rest first before taking on the crazy hectic world of the magical theme park.

It also offered up an opportunity for Quinn to complete some promo work for her movie. Nothing too time consuming, just some magazine interviews and pre-recorded "live" tapings which suited her fine as Rachel usually used them time to rest up and sleep. At least that's what Quinn believed, if only she knew what the diva was really up to, something the diva had sworn her friends and fathers to secrecy. So things continued on as normal.

The family went to Disneyland, beaming smiles and Quinn's camera in tow and basked in the gloriousness of their little girls' laughter. They even bought her a huge grown-up Simba doll for Charlotte who was in awe of the giant teddy. When they went home that night, the girls opened up a bottle of red wine, just the one glass for Rachel so not to tamper with her medication, and star gazed.

_August 15__th_

One year old, their baby girl was officially one year old. It was terrifying to think about it. Quinn nearly had a meltdown the other day when their daughter started standing with the aid of the couch or coffee table, like literally standing. The blonde had cried while Santana laughed hysterically. If this was what Quinn was going to be like over her daughter learning to stand, the Latina joked that she would be an emotional wreck when Charlotte was walking and talking for real.

Call her a sentimental fool or whatever but Charlotte was Quinn's little girl, she was supposed to stay little, not grow up. That wasn't part of the deal, she was supposed to remain a baby forever so Quinn could cradle her in her arms and keep her safe. Growing up meant going from starting school, learning to ride a bike and first friends, to high school, learning to drive and, heaven forbid, maybe even first boyfriends or girlfriends. That was not okay and Rachel had mocked her mercilessly about when her wife had cried herself to sleep over it.

Yet here they were, exactly one year since the day their precious bundle of joy first graced them with her appearance, all smiles and toothy grins, celebrating the greatest thing to ever happen to them. Rachel was sat in the living room with her little girl perched upon her lap, making awing noises at all of Charlotte's new presents from her family and friends. There was a party in full swing, many of the girls colleagues with kids around the same age were there and little Charlotte was in her element. Quinn was running around snapping picture after picture and Puck was filming the entire thing on his camera, particularly in enjoying the moment when Rachel and Charlotte jammed on the mini piano and sang together.

For this one special day, everyone ignored the situation that had been hanging over them for months and just joined in the party, doing everything they could to make it as memorable as they could for Quinn and for Rachel. Even badass Lopez was sitting on the floor with a group of kids playing puppets. It was truly amazing. Suddenly the voices of Hiram and Leroy cut though the atmosphere as they came from the kitchen carrying a cake with a big 1 candle on the top. Rachel gasped dramatically as she stood up with her daughter and carried her over to the table, her coming to stand next to them.

"Look baby, that's for you," Rachel squealed causing her daughter to release a happy squeal of her own. The cake was cover in green icing and on top was an icing feature shaped like to look like Pride Rock and had edible characters from the Lion King placed all around. _Happy 1__st__ Birthday Charlotte_ was written across the top in cursive writing and every marvelled at the creation, I really was stunning. Passing their daughter to Quinn, who had better upper arm strength, Rachel watched as her wife lifted Charlie over the cake so she could "blow" out her candle, both mother's giving her a hand.

Blaine started everyone off in a chorus of Happy Birthday as Quinn gazed at Rachel, cupping her cheek in her hand and kissing her knowing that as happy as she was, there was an internal struggle going on with her emotions and she needed a pick me up. When the girls pulled apart, Quinn wrapped her arm around the diva's shoulders and held her close, smiling for the cameras. Everyone taking turns so as not to startle Charlotte who was uncomfortable with too many flashing lights at once, one of the pitfalls of growing up the child of a celebrity couple. With the cake and pictures out of the way, everyone returned to celebrating, the moment meaning just that much more to the two women who clung to one another the rest of the day through.

**So what did you think? Let me know and I'll talk to you all soon **


	51. Chapter 46

**Sorry this took so long to write, it's the most difficult chapter I've ever had to write in my life, I think that's why it took me so long to update. Anyways thanks again for all the reviews and I hope, as painful as it will be, that you enjoy this chapter and that I did it justice. Have the tissues handy.**

Sitting on the front step of her father's home, Rachel watched on with a joyous smile on her face as Quinn and Charlotte played around in the snow. Quinn had a hold of her little girls' hands and was holding her in a standing position so the tiny brunette could stamp her feet and feel the crunch of the white powder for the first time. It made the infant light up, it was the most amazing thing ever, next to the visit she received from the man in the big red suit. Every time Charlotte would stamp her little feet she would squeal in delight and this would encourage Quinn to laugh.

The sights and sounds made Rachel's chest expand and her heart swell, it had been the perfect Christmas. She had been woken up that morning by her wife who had made them both breakfast in bed, followed by some early morning love making that had been slow and passionate, lots of tender kisses and whispered _I love you's_. Once both girls had been sufficiently loved on, they woke their little princess and made their way down stairs so see what Santa had brought. The way Charlotte's eyes lit up, the look of wonderment, excitement and happiness, it reminded both girls of the magic of Christmas, that feeling that we so often lose as we grow older.

Once all the gifts had been exchanged, Rachel spent quality time with her daughter on the couch watching Christmas movies while her wife and fathers had exiled themselves in the kitchen, preparing a feast fit for a Queen and her army. In between chopping vegetables and baking festive cookies, Quinn would check in on her girls, making sure they were okay and every time she would be rewarded with a smile from her wife and daughter. However the smiles from her wife only added to Quinn's anguish.

She could see it in every passing day, her wife was fading right in front of her. The light in the diva's eyes didn't shine as bright, her smile wasn't as wide and her body lacked the energy to keep up with the usual exuberance it was known for. It also wasn't lost on Quinn that the diva had recently begun taking more and more painkillers. Rachel had passed it off as just aches, but Quinn knew better and it hurt her knowing her wife was suffering, the only comfort coming from a small white pill that the diva had been chewing down like Halloween candy.

Though Quinn wanted nothing more than to hold her wife in her arms and never let go, to try and help alleviate the pain, she couldn't afford to be selfish, even though every fibre of her being was screaming out against her. She had to be strong and be there for Rachel in whatever way her wife wanted her. If that meant taking a back seat so the diva could live out the rest of her days how she wanted to, then that was what Quinn had to do. She could be angry and upset later, God knows she had plenty of time to be.

That evening Quinn stayed in with Charlotte while Rachel, Hiram and Leroy took Arthur for a walk, the blonde wanting her wife to have alone time with her dads. Quinn had used that time within her own privacy to cry and to mourn the life that Rachel would never live. This would be their last Christmas together as a family and she knew it, Rachel couldn't hold on much longer, every day the diva grew sicker and sicker. The treatment she had been on had promised them a year at most and that year was almost up. Their final days together were numbered.

A while later the Berry clan arrived home, red rimmed eyes featured heavily on all three faces. It was apparent to Quinn that her wife had used the time alone to talk to her dads about a lot of things she hadn't been able to over the last several months. Rachel had told Quinn before they had left for Lima for the holidays, that she wanted to talk to her dads, really talk to them, while what she wanted to say was still fresh in her mind and the blonde supported her, offering comforting hugs and kisses to ease any nervousness or anxiety the diva may have felt.

That night in bed, Rachel's head was spinning with an array of thoughts she hadn't yet managed to work out, the worry of whether or not she had the time to invading her conscience, dredging back up the feeling of being robbed. However through all those thoughts that had taken up home in her restless mind, one really stood out above the rest. How exactly did Rachel even begin to say goodbye to her daughter? It was one thing saying goodbye to her wife, her dads and her friends, they were grown adults who could understand what she was saying and could process the feelings they were supposed to feel.

But Charlotte, she was only a year old, still learning to walk and talk, her little brain still developing. More than likely she wouldn't remember Rachel, at least not from her own memory and whatever Rachel did say or do, it wouldn't really matter because Charlotte wouldn't recall it later on in life. But Rachel needed to do it, for her own piece of mind if nothing else. She needed her baby girl to know that she loves her, that she's proud of her and that she never wanted to leave her behind, it was just the circumstances they had been given.

Rachel had written all this down in a letter to Charlotte, in fact she had written many letters for her daughter that she wanted Quinn to give their daughter at appropriate times. Such as Charlotte's first day of school, of high school, of college should she decide to attend, before her first date, before her wedding day, on her 16th birthday, her 18th birthday, her 21st birthday, and many, many others. Quinn knew about the letters and had promised to do as her wife asked. But what Quinn didn't know was that Rachel had also done the same for her. Many letters had been written and she had given them to Santana to hold onto, the Latina promising to guard them with her life.

In time, her family would read those letters and Rachel hoped that when they did, it would help ease some of the pain and anger they would feel. Turning on her side Rachel picked up a pill bottle and emptied a white pill into her hand, then took a sip of water from the water bottle that had been on the nightstand. After swallowing the pill, she turned back into Quinn's embrace and nuzzled her face into the warmth of wife's neck, feeling the blonde's head shift slightly in her sleep to accommodate the new position. Even after all these years, they were still incredibly in sync, whether awake or asleep, it was amazing Rachel thought, as sleep finally took hold of her and she lapsed into a peaceful slumber

_2 Months Later – California_

California, that was where Rachel wanted to spend her remaining time, at their house where she could hear the soothing sounds of the ocean from her bedroom, where she could wake up every morning and see the sun high in the sky and at night where she could gaze up at the stars every night with her wife and daughter by her side. To many it was unbelievable that the diva who had always dreamed of living her whole life in New York City, would chose anywhere else to live out the remainder of her time, but nobody argued with her reasons.

New York just couldn't offer those things to Rachel and Quinn wanted to give her anything she asked for while she still could. If Rachel wanted stars she would give her stars, if she wanted to be able to see the sun rise and set, she would make sure she could, and that's why Quinn packed up their bags and moved them across country. After a trip to the hospital had been spotted by a pap in the city, the girls were forced to make some form of statement to keep the media from spinning rumours.

This annoyed Quinn to no end and even Santana had ranted and raved about threatening legal action, but for what, because the pap happened to be in the right place at the wrong time? It wasn't like they could sue a man for doing his job, even if the word job was questionable. Besides, it was only a matter of time before something came out, they couldn't hide it forever. With the help of Santana and the girl's publicist, they released a joint statement that said Rachel was undergoing treatment and they kindly ask for privacy from their fans and the public.

Short and sweet, just as it should be. They didn't go into detail about how Rachel was doing or anything else because they knew that would draw too much attention to them, so they reframed from talking about the prognosis. Anyways, it's not like they wouldn't find out soon enough. Some people may have considered it cruel to hide such a thing from Rachel's loyal fans, people who loved her and cared for her, but Quinn didn't care, they weren't Rachel's family, they didn't know her personally and as far as she was concerned they were not entitled to know anything about her life that she didn't want to share. That either of them didn't want to share, it was their business and nobody else's. They had shared so much of their lives with their fans, but this was just too personal and time was too precious to waste on stupid insignificant things.

From that moment on, every time the girls did anything or went anywhere, their plans were always well calculated so they could avoid crowds or places that would draw a lot of attention. This meant that they began spending more time in the celeb haunts that they once avoided, not because they wanted to be there, but because the establishments were usually very specific about maintain the privacy of their high profile clientele. At first Rachel was uncomfortable being there, the reason they had avoided them for so long was because Rachel and Quinn wanted to live as normally as possible.

They didn't want the big flashy celebrity lifestyles that usually came with their jobs, they just wanted to work and do normal things like they did before they were famous, like have picnics in the park, go to the movies with their friends and sit amongst the rest of the public. This was why they loved New York, because they could do those things and most of the time, the paps respected their privacy, they took their pictures every now and again but from a distance. Sure things would get out of hand on a rare occasion, like Charlotte's first trip to the zoo, but for the most part, they had privacy and it worked for them.

But circumstances had changed, people were curious. They had been out of the public eye for a long time and the statement had fuelled people's interest in their personal lives. From that point on, the establishments they had previously avoided became their places of refuge from the public eye, though in recent weeks venturing out had been the last thing on Rachel's mind. So, rather than the diva going out or travelling, her friends and fathers had been routinely visiting, alternating their trips so that somebody different was there at different times.

With Puck working for them and Mercedes based in LA, they were there most often. Santana and Brittany had both scheduled more work based there so they were often there for days on end every other week. Blaine was in the middle of a show but he flew out on days he had a couple of days off, as did Tina. Mike was currently working on a choreographing a new dance movie so he was based there for the time being and Kurt was in the middle of styling celebs for award season so he was also based there.

Leroy and Hiram flew out every chance they got, most of the time together though sometimes it was one or the other depending on work. They both would have preferred to have taken extended leave from their jobs but Rachel put her foot down. She wanted everyone to carry on as normally as possible, so they did, for Rachel. Finn and Sam had visited several times, as had Will and Emma and Nicole had many trips out west to be with her friends. Ben had been around the girls that often he almost became a stand in nanny for Charlotte. He recently took her out on his surf. Okay so he sat on the board with Charlotte in the shallow end of the ocean in full view of her parents, but hey, it was a start.

The last several months had been pure bliss and Rachel wouldn't have changed a thing even if she could. It had been everything she could have hoped for. Just seeing the smiles on the faces of her wife, her daughter, her fathers and her friends, it made everything worth it. Rachel long gotten past the resentment and anger she felt over the fact that her life was being robbed from her. Holding on to those emotions was too time consuming an exhausting, she wanted to enjoy the time she had left, not feel bitter every waking moment. So she made peace with the situation and made the most of life. Besides, she was pretty sure everyone else was doing a good enough job harbouring those negative emotions on her behalf behind the fake smiles they plastered on from time to time.

Rachel's goal these past few months was to give her family and her friends memories they could look back on and treasure, mainly memories that involved Charlotte so that when the little girl grew up, her friends could recall happy things that involved Charlie and her Mama, so she would know how much Rachel loved her and know that even though she had only been a part of the little girl's life briefly, that Rachel had treasured every moment and had done everything she could to make the most of their time together. That was what was really important. The others had years upon years of memories to look back on, but this, this was just for Charlotte and to an extent Quinn.

Her wife had always wanted a family of her own. A family she could be proud of and love unconditionally, unlike the upbringing she'd had growing up under Russell and Judy. Quinn vowed that when she had a family of her own, they wouldn't want for anything. They would grow up smiling and happy, free to express themselves however they wanted to, and know that they could be themselves without judgement. This was Quinn's family and it was being torn away from her and, although there was nothing Rachel could do about that, she at least wanted Quinn to have happy memories of the three of them together from the time they were a family.

So Rachel watched on as her family and her friends smiled and laughed like any other time they've been together. She joined in and told stories, reminisced and even went out and about and did things, she lived it up. But, while her wife and daughter, her friends and everyone else all basked in the joy that surrounded them, Rachel put on a brave face to hide the fact that inside, she was fading, and fast. Her body was losing its ability to keep fighting, to keep going, exhausted from what it had already been through…. Her time was just about up.

Making her way outside onto the private deck of the beach house that overlooked the ocean, Rachel gazed down at her wife and daughter who were playing soccer on the beach with Ben, Puck, Santana and Mercedes. Closing her eyes she breathed in deeply and then opened them again, her eyes taking a moment longer than usual to adjust to the light before they focused again and she found her wife waving her daughters hand in her direction. The diva smiled at the gesture and waved back before resting both her hands on the rail.

The heat from the sun was practically melting her, sweat dripping down her brow and her breathing felt heavy and laboured. Why was it so difficult to breathe? Her head began to feel light and she suddenly felt disoriented, like she was adrift of her own body. Movement from behind her alerted her that Brittany had joined her outside and from what she could make out, the bubbly blonde was talking and playing with Arthur.

"Hey look there's Rachie," Brittany said to Arthur before glancing up at the diva who looked incredibly pale. Taking a step closer, Brittany gazed worriedly at her friend. "Rach, are you okay?" she asked. Down on the beach, Quinn and Santana were messing about with Charlotte in the shallow water. The Latina was holding her niece in a standing position and was helping the little girl kick water at her Mommy, making her squeal and laugh in delight. Quinn chuckled along as she caught sight of Mercedes taking pictures on the blonde's camera. Feeling a photo opportunity, Quinn turned to face her home to beckon her wife down to them.

Holding her hand over her eyes to block out the blinding sun, Quinn found that her wife was still on the deck of the house with Brittany standing just behind her, gazing right back at her, but something wasn't right, Rachel seemed to be trembling. Before Quinn could begin to question what was wrong her heart stopped as right before her eyes, Rachel collapsed like dead weight, Brittany dashing the distance between her and the diva to catch her and break her fall. Without so much as a second thought Quinn went dashing up the sand, hurtling up the steps as she finally made it onto the deck, crashing to her knees beside her wife and lifting her from Brittany's arms.

"Rach, baby, I'm here, I'm here," Quinn said as she run her hand down her wife's cheek while dropping soft kisses to a clammy forehead. She couldn't stop the tears from falling when her eyes roamed over the diva's features, tan skin now pale and pink lips almost blue. Brown eyes opened slightly and focused on Quinn, staring right back at her with a pleading look. "Q-Quinn," a voiced whispered. The blonde nodded her head before pulling Rachel closer and rocking her back and forth. "Yeah baby I'm here," she replied just as the rest of the group made their way up onto the deck, Santana cradling a disgruntled Charlotte. Quinn glanced up, and seeing her daughter, flicked her eyes over to the Latina.

"San take Charlotte inside now, just, just go," she said and then turned her attention back to her wife. Santana quickly made her way inside, Charlotte already crying. Ben and Puck looked anxious, like they wanted to do something but didn't know what. Mercedes, having finally gotten over the shock, put the camera down on the outside dining table and made her way over to Quinn and Rachel. "Tell me what to do," she said as she grabbed a hold of her fellow diva's hand, offering her a comforting squeeze. Quinn sniffled and then looked at her friend.

"Call her doctor, tell him to get here as fast as he can. It's the number two speed dial on the landline." With those instructions, Mercedes was up and dashing inside the house. Quinn turned to Puck and beckoned him over. "Take her into the bedroom," she said around the lump forming in her throat, trying not to break down as Puck leaned down and lifted the diva into his arms, carrying her inside the house. Ben hung back and cast a glance at his friend, he'd never seen her look this devastated before, he could see it in her eyes that she knew time was running out and it broke his heart.

Walking over to where Quinn was still sat on the floor, he held out his hands and when she placed hers into them, he hoisted her up and pulled her in for a hug, it was the only thing he could think of to do to comfort her in that moment. He'd never been in a situation like this before, where everything was so sensitive and emotionally raw. It made him uncomfortable but he wasn't going to let it show. His friends needed him, he had to put his own feelings aside, push through and do whatever they needed him to do. So, with one arm wrapped tight around Quinn, he led her inside the house so they could wait for the doctor.

Santana and Ben were pacing the living room up and down while Mercedes, Puck and Brittany were sat around on the various chairs and couches scattered around. The doctor had arrived not long ago and the gang were waiting for him to emerge from the bedroom so they could hear news on what was going on. Everyone was sick with anxiety and worry, none more so than Santana. The Latina had been bottling up her emotions for months, carrying on as normal, anything to make Rachel happy.

But this had rattled her to the core, this made everything real, everything Santana had been trying to bottle up was suddenly trying to push its way to the surface and it was a lot to take. So she busied herself with occupying her niece, feeding her, playing with her, just keeping her entertained so she wouldn't have time to question where her mom's where. It was all she could do to keep from crying. Well, that, and shooting insults and making sarcastic comments towards Ben and Puck, the boys didn't retaliate. They knew she was just trying to keep her emotions under control, so they let her at it. Everyone had their ways of coping, this was Santana's.

Just as they were getting restless, they heard a door open from down the hall and footsteps against hardwood floors. Looking up they saw the doctor making his way into the living room, medical bag in hand and stethoscope still hanging from around his neck. Santana was the first to approach them, the others hung back, not wanting to crowd the man, but they still sat forward eagerly anticipating what he had to say.

"Well?" Santana asked, wringing her hands as she gazed up into his eyes, her own welling up the longer he took to reply. Breaking eye contact, the doctor gazed around at the other people in the room, and the infant girl on Brittany's lap before focusing back on the woman in front of him. "I'm sorry, but Rachel's time is up. It's just a matter of days," he said, his tone professional, though his eyes betrayed how sorry he really was to have to be the one to deliver the news. Nodding his head at the other people in the room, he made his way to the door and let himself out, Ben walking over to the control panel on the wall to open the gates so the doctor could leave.

Santana was still stood, stock still, in the middle of the room. Everyone around her was quiet, clearly struggling to digest the news that it was almost the end. The sound of Ben shuffling across the room seemed to snap the Latina out of her daze and her feet began moving her down the hallway, stopping outside the bedroom. Inhaling a deep breath, she gently knocked and then opened the door. There in front of her eyes lay Rachel, asleep and clearly exhausted on the bed, Quinn perched on the bed beside her, tears streaming down her face as she stroked her fingers through dark brown locks.

Unable to look anymore Santana turned her gaze down to the floor and backed away from the door, taking quiet steps back up the hallway before her feet began to pick up pace and she found herself in a slow jog. Bounding across the living room past her friends she bolted out on to the deck, down the steps and out onto the beach, crashing to her knees just short of the water. Brittany who had watched her, passed Charlotte off to Mercedes and ran after her, finding her wife crying her heart out on the beach. Kneeling down beside her, she pulled her wife into her arms and held her close, allowing her to mourn for a friendship she was about to lose.

Phone calls had been made, flights had been booked. Rachel's fathers and the rest of her friends had been informed of the situation and were on their way to LA to spend the remainder of Rachel's time with her. Since the doctor had left, everyone had remained at the house, in case Quinn or Rachel needed anything. However, after several hours had passed, it became apparent that Quinn wasn't going to leave the room anytime soon. They gang order in take out food and tried numerous times to persuade the blonde to come out and eat, but she refused every time. Eventually Santana told them to leave her be before bunking down in the guest room, clearly she was intent on staying.

The next day, the house was full of gleeks, as well as Rachel's dads, Will and Emma and Ben and Nicole. They had all arranged to stay in elsewhere, so the girls would have their privacy at night to have alone time as a family with baby Charlotte. Blaine, Kurt were staying with Mercedes. Finn, Will and Emma were staying with Ben, Nicole Sam and Artie were staying with Puck and the Berry men were staying with Mike and Tina at Santana and Brittany's place. The arrangements meant that everyone was close by without crowding the girls. Though sometimes they were reluctant to be away should anything happen. But they had to respect the fact that Quinn and Charlotte were Rachel's family and they took precedence over their own feelings.

As the sun rose on a new day, Quinn kept a vigil over her wife. During the night she had rotated between sleeping next to her and cradling her, to sitting on the cushioned window ledge watching over her. In this particular moment she was holding her little girl against her chest, softly rocking her so that she would sleep just a little longer. It was only six a.m, it was too early for her to be awake, a growing girl needed her rest. As Quinn continued to rock Charlotte, the rustling of bed covers made her look up. Rachel was awake.

"Hey baby," Quinn whispered as she stood from the window ledge and crossed the room, climbing onto the bed and laying back against the headboard so she was next to her wife. Tired brown eyes gazed up at her and smiled before glancing down at the sleeping baby against her wife's chest. "She's beautiful isn't she," a hushed voice said. Quinn's lips quirked up into a soft smile as she gazed down at their daughter. "Of course she is, she's just like her Mama," Quinn replied as she reached out a free hand and cupped Rachel's pale cheek in her hand.

"Everybody's here," Quinn said knowing the information would make her wife happy, to know that she was surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her. Rachel closed her eyes and smiled, before focusing back on her wife. "Good. I need to talk to them, today. I need to, to tell them…" Rachel trailed off. Quinn just shushed her and combed her fingers through her hair. It was still early, Rachel had time before the others would inevitably arrive at the house. For the time being they could lay back and rest, together, as a family.

Later that day everyone was scattered around the house just trying to occupy themselves, Kurt, Mercedes and Brittany had taken up residence in the kitchen, baking cookies and brownies for everyone to nibble on. Puck, Sam, Finn and Ben were in the living room playing Guitar Hero, Mike, Artie and Nicole were sitting out on the deck with Will, Emma, and Santana, Tina and the Berry men were down on the beach building sand castles with Charlotte. Quinn had come out of the room for a couple of hours while Rachel was asleep to greet her friends and her fathers in law and also to feed Charlotte her breakfast.

Since then, she had been on rotation, leaving the room to send certain people in to talk to Rachel and then returning to sit with her wife when she needed a break from all the emotional conversations she'd had with her friends. So far, Rachel had talked to Ben and Nicole, thanking them for their friendship and for being so understanding and supportive all those years ago when they first met. She thanked them for their continued friendship and made Ben promise to teach Charlotte to surf, just like he had taught her, to which he readily agreed.

Next into the room had been Artie, Sam and Finn, the three boys trying to keep things light by joking around about Rachel's diva tendencies back in the glee club days. Rachel appreciated the good humour, it made it that much easier. Out of the three boys she was especially thankful to Finn, yes they had their difference and their relationship was all over the place at the best of times, but he was the first person to really show interest in her and when they did have many good memories from their time together, he was her first love after all, so for that she was grateful. It taught her to value what she had with Quinn that much more.

Will and Emma were next, the red head struggling to keep her emotions in check. This was one of her former students, someone she had had numerous counselling sessions with in high school, who she knew personally and who had helped in bringing her into the arms of her husband, the man she had been in love with for so long. If it hadn't been for glee club, Will and Emma would never have gotten together, and Rachel was a big part of that. Looking to her side, she could see the pain in Will's eyes. Never did he think he would be saying goodbye to one of his former students, someone who was a friend. Yes he had clashed with Rachel many times in glee club, but only because he wanted to be fair and to make her a better all-round performer. He cared about her.

Rachel looked at Will, and she could see the sadness in his eyes, who'd have thought she would be the first of the National's winning glee club to go? Will always thought that the gang would be reunited for his passing, how wrong was he. It didn't take long for him to start giving one of his heartfelt speeches, just like the old days. Rachel thought she would be the one thanking him and Emma, but instead it was the other way around. He thanked her for keeping glee club together all those years ago when he walked out.

He thanked her for having the passion and the drive to motivate him to be a better glee coach, but most of all he thanked her because she was right, being a part of something special makes you special, and even though it took Will some time to realise that, once he did, he made it his mantra to keep pushing ahead and fighting for the arts. All along he thought he was the one teaching those kids valuable lessons, turned out, they were teaching just as much, maybe even more. When he was done, Rachel thanked him for starting glee club, and changing her life.

Next into the room were Mike, Tina and Brittany. Santana wanted to talk to Rachel alone, so Brittany said she would go in with the others. Once inside the room, Rachel was embraced by the unusual thought process of on Brittany S. Pierce and again she was left to marvel at just how truly unique she was. Rachel couldn't help but shed a tear once Tina allowed the dam to break. Poor Tina, she was always the first to well up, she couldn't help it sentimental moments just got to her. When Rachel promised to be watching over her and singing on the day Tina and Mike married, that was it, Mike had to take his girlfriend out of the room.

Mercedes, Kurt and Blaine went next, Kurt and Mercedes already deeply emotional over the fact they were about to lose the third member of their diva trio, but even though they were sad, they couldn't help but smile when Rachel challenged them to a diva off, to which they agreed with beaming smiles. Typical Rachel, always the competitive one of the group. Kurt instantly burst into a stream of promises to make sure Quinn and Charlotte were always fashionable dressed for evey occasion and that he and Blaine would educate Charlotte in the fine world of musical theatre. Blaine even promised to teach Charlotte the piano, just like Rachel had said she would.

And Mercedes, she promised to teach Charlie all about the art of sassy diva. Nobody would mess with that little girl. Rachel couldn't help but shed more tears, she truly had amazing friends and she made sure she knew how much they meant to her and how grateful she was to have had them in her life. She also decided to use that moment to encourage Blaine and Kurt to seal the deal, a love like theirs was too precious to put on hold, it was time to take the next step, and by the glint in Blaine's eye, maybe that moment was closer than they thought.

Puck decided to take the next turn since Santana was still trying to gather herself together. All the tears that had been flowing from everyone else who had been in the room already was causing her composure to waver, but she refused to cry. Not now, not before she talked to Rachel. So, she watched as Puck rubbed a hand over his shaved head and then entered the room, once he was out of sight, Santana stepped out onto the deck so she could catch a breath and as she did, she spotted Quinn down on the sand with Charlotte, watching the waves crash in against the sand. The Latina took a moment to scan the surrounding area for any paps and when she noted that there were none around, she continued watching over her extended family.

Inside the room, Puck stood with his hands in his pockets. Rachel smiled when she noticed that Puck was wearing the leather and hard silver wrist bracelet she had gotten him as a present a few years ago. The underside was engraved with _To A Badass Jew, From A Jewish American Princess*,_ in reference to Puck's nicknames for them both. Reaching up a hand, Puck scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what he was supposed to do, until Rachel reached out a hand and he crossed the distance, linking his hand with hers and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Who would have thought the confident Puckasaurus would ever be lost for words?" Rachel joked, trying to ease the tension. Puck smirked gazing up at her with sad deep hazel eyes. "Yeah well, what can I say, you made a pussy cat of the untameable lion," he joked back. This was easy, this back and forth banter, this was Rachel and Puck, like old times. It just hurt him to know there wouldn't be any more of those moments in the future. "I didn't have to try too hard, there was always a good man under that tough exterior," Rachel replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Yeah well, I knew this awesome chick who changed me, made me realise that I was better than the circumstances that surrounded me, made me better. She's pretty cool actually you probably know her, she's about four feet tall, bambi eyes, talks a lot," Puck said sarcastically. Rachel glared at him playfully pouting, "I'm not four feet tall, I'm four foot on and a half actually," she joked. "And I didn't change you Puck, I just helped you see the potential that was there to change. I wanted the best for my badass Jew bro," Puck smiled at her, glancing down briefly and clenching his jaw to hold back the tears before looking back up.

"I know I don't say it a lot, I'm not good with talking about my feelings but, I love you Rach, you're the best Jew sis a guy could ask for and the best friend a guy could have. And I'm gonna do whatever to take care of Quinn and Charlie, I promise you that," he said, a look of steely determination on his face. Rachel gazed at him before pulling at his hand so he would lean down for a hug, when he did, she wrapped her arms tight around his nexk. "I love you too Noah, and I know you'll take care of my girls, I trust you with their lives," she replied. They stayed like that for another few moments, before Puck left to find Santana.

Out on the deck, Santana was just settling down when a hand rested on her shoulder. Gazing up she found Puck staring back at her. "It's time San," he said gesturing his head towards the house. Inhaling a deep breath, she nodded and made her way inside, not missing the way everyone was looking at her as she passed through the room. Pulling back her shoulders, she straightend up and lifted her chin walking down the hallway and stopping just outside the door. With one final breath, she put her hand on the handle and opened the door.

"I knew you'd be the last of the gleeks to show," Rachel chuckled, wanting to make light conversation to ease Santana's nerves. The Latina rubbed her hands up and down her thighs as she slowly edged her way into the room, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Santana pulled the edges of the throw blanket that was spread over the light duvet. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say," she said bluntly. Rachel snorted, typical Santana, no pretending to understand or relate, just straight to the point. Reaching out, she grasped a hold of one of her friends fidgeting hands to still it and to offer comfort.

"It's okay to be scared Santana," Rachel said, trying to meet the Latina's eyes. Santana just released a tear filled chuckle, no longer holding back her emotions. "But I'm not scared Rach, I'm angry, all the time. I mean, why you? You've always been there for us, I mean hell, I wouldn't have a career or a wife now if it weren't for you. It's just, it's not fair," Santana bellowed as she looked down at the blanket again. Rachel couldn't help feel helpless in helping her friend, but she had to try, especially of it were to be the last time she got the chance.

"I know you're angry, and Santana that's okay too. These things just happen we have no control over them. But I know that you have the strength to get through this and to pull everyone else through it too. You don't realise it, but San, you are an incredibly strong and courageous women. There is no one else aside from Quinn who I would want by my side to fight the odds," Rachel spoke so truthfully that it caused a sob to escape the Latina. "You are an amazing friend to Quinn, a fantastic aunt to Charlotte and you have been the best surrogate sister I could ever have asked for."

Santana sniffled and nodded her head and then leaned down next to Rachel and buried her face in the crook of the diva's neck as they both wrapped their arms around one another.

"I love you too. And you don't need to worry 'bout Q and little C, Britts and I will take care of them. Aunt Tana will go all Lima Heights if anyone messes with them," she whispered, making Rachel giggle as they both released fresh tears. A few more moments passed between them and as Santana stood to leave the room, Rachel handed her a number of envelopes each with different names on them and asked her to hand them out but not to read them until later on. Santana nodded and exited the room, returning to the living where she nodded to the Berry men to head on down to the room. As they left, she looked back towards everyone else.

"Rachel wanted me to give you guys these," she said as she gestured to the letters and began handing them out to the appropriate people. Everyone stared at the envelopes in their hands before looking back at Santana, who was staring at her own envelope. "She doesn't want you to open them until….after," she trailed off and veryone gave her a reassuring nod of the head or a smile before she escaped onto the back deck to cry in the privacy of her own company, save for Brittany who went with her.

Later that evening, Quinn returned to the bedroom, with Charlotte in her arms. Rachel gave them the biggest smile she'd given that day. Quinn walked across the room sat on the bed, placing their daughter between them. Rachel gazed at her precious little girl with tears in her eyes, this going to be hard, she knew it and as much as she had prepared, it wasn't going to make a difference. Quinn reached out a hand and clasped it with her wife's giving her a reassuring look that told her she was there.

"Hey baby," Rachel started as she gently grabbed a hold of her daughter's hand. Charlotte smiled up at her and pulled the pacifier out of her mouth. "Ma," she said as she inched herself closer on her bottom. Rachel wiped away a tear and used what little energy she had to push herself up slightly in the bed and then settled down again. Reaching out her hand she began softly stroking soft brown locks. "I love you so much baby girl, so, so much. You're my greatest success and, I know I won't be around for a lot of stuff, but I promise I will be watching you, always, every step of the way, and I'll always be proud of you. You're going to do lots of amazing things and no matter what happens I'll always be in your corner," Rachel sniffled as she stopped momentarily to wipe at her eyes, staring at the look on her daughters face.

"I want you to promise me something, okay baby. I want you to promise me that you'll do whatever makes you happy and that you'll take care of your mommy, cause she's gonna need lots of hugs and kisses, okay?" she said, tickling Charlotte on her stomach and making her laugh. "Ah," Charlotte said with tilt of her head. "Good girl. I love you baby girl," Rachel sighed as she leaned her head forward to press a soft tender kiss to Charlotte's temple. Quinn who had been watching with tears in her eyes, wiped at her cheeks as she looked back up at her wife and daughter, getting the nod that it was time for Charlotte to go to bed.

"Okay, time for bed," Rachel said to Charlotte. Quinn stood up and lifted her daughter into her arms and held her close then leaned down and placed a kiss on her wife's forehead then held Charlotte out for another kiss from Rachel. "Night night bug. I'll see you later," she said, refusing to say goodbye. Tears spilled from Rachel's eyes as she watched Quinn leave the room, Charlotte staring back at her from over the blondes shoulder. It was the last time Rachel would see her daughter, and she was glad it was with a smile on her little girls face.

When Quinn returned to the bedroom, everyone else had left to their respective guest houses and the girls were finally alone. Rachel was staring out at the night sky, before turning to face her wife. "Take me out to the beach, I want to stargaze for a while," Rachel requested and Quinn simply nodded. With the blanket from the top of the bed wrapped securely around her wife, Quinn leaned down, wrapping one arm around Rachel's back and the other under her the bend in knees, lifting her bridal style from the bed and making her way out of the house and down the steps to the beach.

Once they were close enough to the water to see it ripple against the sand, Quinn kneeled down and then as gently as she could, perched Rachel down into a sitting position, keeping her hands on Rachel to keep her upright as she sat down behind her wife, spreading her legs and scooting forward so that Rachel's back was pressed tight against her front before wrapping her arms around her wife's waist as Rachel leaned her head back against Quinn's shoulder. As they looked up at the sky, and out over the water shimmering in the moonlight, they sat in silence for a moment, just taking it in.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Rachel asked her voice just loud enough for Quinn to hear her over the sound of the crashing waves. "Not as beautiful as you," Quinn responded without skipping a beat, leaning down and placing a kiss behind the diva's ear. "Promise me you'll live without regrets. That you'll take a moment to appreciate everything and everyone around you, that you'll love with your whole heart. Promise me," Rachel said. "Rach…" Quinn started but was cut off by brown eyes staring up at her.

"Promise me Quinn, I don't want you to live half a life. Promise me you'll do it, for me," Rachel said. Tears welled in Quinn's eyes as she looked out over the ocean, lowering her head and nodding and then turning back to face her wife. "I promise," Quinn managed, though it was strained as she tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall at any moment. And with that promise, they sealed it with a loving kiss, under the stars in the dead of night, just the two of them.

An hour later Quinn carried Rachel back inside the house and into the bedroom, placing her down on the bed and wrapping the blanket more securely around her. When Rachel was comfortable, Quinn slipped off her sandals and climbed in beside her, the girls on their sides facing each other. Quinn joined their hands together and squeezed Rachel's hand as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. The diva's eyes were drooping from exhaustion but it didn't stop her from leaning over to kiss Quinn passionately, putting everything she had into it.

"I love you Quinn, so much, _forever and always_," Rachel said once they broke apart. Quinn reached up her free hand and stroked brown hair with a tender touch, gazing into those brown eyes she fell in love with all those years ago. "I love you too Rach, _forever and always_, just like I promised," Quinn replied and with that she watched as Rachel's eyes closed and she fell asleep. Quinn continued to stroke her wife's hair until her own eyelids began to feel heavy and then she too succumbed to sleep.

As the sun rose over California, Quinn's eyes fluttered open from the light shining in through the window. She rubbed at her face as she wiped the sleep from her eyes before leaning up on her elbows and checking the clock. Turning to her wife she placed a hand on Rachel's shoulder and shook it gently to rouse her from sleep. "Rach," she whispered, but got no reaction. Frowning Quinn shook her harder, "Rach, Rachel," Quinn tried again, shifting onto her knees on the bed as she continued to shake her wife.

"Rach, wake up, baby, wake up, please," Quinn pleaded through a heart breaking sob, tears falling thick and fast. Pulling Rachel up into her arms, Quinn cradled her close to her chest, burying her face into the crook of her wife's neck, pleading with her to wake up, but to no avail. "No, no, no. Rachel. Oh God," Quinn cried out as the cool feel of Rachel's skin brought home the crippling reality that her wife, was gone.

**And there we have it. The hardest chapter I have ever had to write. Please review as I'd love to hear your thoughts. Only one chapter and the epilogue left. Talk to you soon.**


	52. Chapter 47

**Well, here it is folks, the final chapter. Don't worry, the epilogue will follow. So it took me so long to update but the weather had been crazy hot here in Ireland…. IRELAND! It's scorching hot, that never happens. If your Irish you'll understand, if not let me put it to you this way, scorching hot sun in Ireland happens even less frequently than a solar eclipse. So needless to say I've been making the most of the good weather. Anyways I want to thank you all so much for all the reviews for the last update, I mean I was blown away, it was amazing. So thank you again. I hope you enjoy this chapter and keep the tissues nearby.**

'_Showbiz World Mourns Passing of Broadway and Hollywood Superstar', 'Fans Grieve Loss of Stage Icon'._ Quinn laughed bitterly at the headlines when they came out, at the idea that people who didn't even know Rachel were crying over her death. But why? What did they lose? Someone who's voice they liked to listen to, who they liked to watch on stage and in movies? What exactly was so painful for them that they were so upset? Maybe Quinn was in too much pain herself to appreciate their feelings, but she didn't care, what they lost pales in comparison to what she had just lost.

Every single time she looked at her little girl she was reminded of what was taken from her, from them. Every time she heard her friends talking about good memories, she was reminded of what they had lost. Every time she was comforted by her fathers in law, she was reminded of what they were going through as parents, and maybe these are the reasons why she couldn't yet bring herself to care about what Rachel's fans or fellow showbiz pals were feeling.

Today, Quinn had to endure the heartbreak of burying her wife and saying goodbye for the final time. Sitting on the edge of the bed in the master bedroom, Quinn grasped a hold of the chain around her neck, the one that was now home to her wife's wedding band, and she held it to her lips as she closed her eyes and sent a prayer up above, to God, to Rachel, that they would help her get through this day. To be strong enough for Charlotte, that's all she needed, just one day and then she could truly begin to try and start to heal the gaping wound in her heart.

She knew she would never get over Rachel, and that, even though the wound would eventually heal, there would always be a scar to remind her of what she had lost, but she promised Rachel that she would carry on, for Charlotte, and for herself, and she vowed that she would keep that promise that she had made on the beach. So, with a kiss placed upon the ring, Quinn squeezed it in her palm before settling it back under her dress, resting against her heart. Standing up, she walked over to the full length mirror and took in her appearance.

Rachel had made it clear that she didn't want anyone to wear black it was to dreary, too depressing. She wanted people to celebrate a life lived, not mourn a life lost. So Quinn, wanting to remember a happier time, wore the white summer dress she wore the first time the girls renewed their wedding vows with a lilac short sleeved high waist cardigan , the one her wife had adored, her shoulder length hair down in soft subtle curls, and a hint of make-up. Turning towards the vanity mirror, she picked up the white gardenia flower that had arrived earlier and pinned it to her top.

With one final glance in the mirror, Quinn nodded at her reflection and turned to leave the room. Upon entering the living room, she was greeted by the faces of friends and family. Every one of them prepared to pick up the slack should Quinn feel herself begin to crumble under the strain, the thought momentarily quirked her lips up into a smile, before the reminder of the day ahead brought her emotions crashing back down on top of her. Walking over to Puck, who had been trying to amuse a fussy and unsettled Charlotte, Quinn lifter her daughter from his arms and held her close to her shoulder, peppering her head with soft kisses.

Santana and Tina had taken on the responsibility of dressing the little girl for the day ahead, matching her with her mommy in a white dress with a lilac cardigan and dolly shoes. Charlotte squirmed in Quinn's arms for a moment, whimpering and threatening tears, but eventually she settled down, once the soothing effect of the hand rubbing up and down her back kicked in. Everyone in the room remained silent as they watched on, Quinn trying to ignore the sympathetic stares.

"Kurt, could you grab Charlie's inhaler and put it in the carrier bag please?" Quinn asked glancing in his direction where he sat on the couch. Kurt's mouth bobbed up and down a little before he finally responded. "Mercedes and I packed the bag, everything that Charlotte might need is in it and Puck has a spare inhaler in his coat pocket just in case of emergency." Quinn turned towards the dining room table and noticed the bag and then returned her attention to Kurt, tipping her head in thanks. She glanced around the room at her friends and the Berry's, all of them were dressed in bright colours.

The boys opted for light coloured suits with appropriate matching shirts and coloured ties, anything that wasn't black or boring old slate grey, Kurt using his fashion knowledge to dress them in the appropriate manner. The girls were all wearing colourful dresses, Tina opting for green, Santana bright red, Brittany pale pink, Mercedes a summery yellow and Nicole wearing a turquoise blue. There wasn't black to be found anywhere and they all had a white rose pinned to their chest, exactly like Rachel had wanted.

"It's time," Hiram said as he stood from the stool he had been sitting on next to the kitchen island. There were a few head nods of recognition that they had heard him. Everyone gathered their belongings and began making their way towards the door, but Quinn remained rooted to the spot. It suddenly hit her, she was about to say goodbye to her wife, it hadn't been real to her until that very moment, now she didn't know if she could go through with it. A hand came and rested on her lower back, she looked up to find a smiling Leroy staring down at her, reassuring her with that warm look. With a deep breath Quinn glanced around her home, the home that held so many memorises of Rachel, and then headed for the door.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk Quinn couldn't help but notice that the other side of the street was littered with paparazzi taking pictures. Instinctively she reached up a hand to cradle the back of Charlotte's head so that her daughter's face was hidden in the crook of her neck, shielding her from the view of the camera lens. Moving quickly, she climbed into the waiting black car, one of several parked outside to bring the group to the church and as soon as she was safely inside next to Hiram and Leroy, she told the driver to go.

By the time they had arrived at the church, the place was packed with everyone from former colleagues to friends the girls had made in the business, including Ellen and Portia, as well as former classmates who had made the trip to New York. Rachel had requested that instead of flowers, she wanted anyone who wanted to make some sort of contribution, to donate money to one of the various charities both she and Quinn were patrons of. In her honour, over a hundred thousand dollars had been raised before the funeral.

Stepping inside the church, Quinn couldn't help but feel her breath catch in her chest as she glanced down the aisle, right to the bottom where, waiting for her was Rachel's casket, a picture of the brightly smiling diva perched on top of it. Seeing the image, Quinn's legs turned to jelly and she felt like she would collapse at any moment, until Puck's strong arm wrapped around her waist and steadied her on her feet. He looked at her, asking her with his eyes if she was okay, the only response being a curt head nod before the blonde began making her way up to the front of the church, avoiding the wandering glances of people who were curious.

The gleeks and Rachel's fathers all made their way into their seats, settling themselves down and then Quinn slid into the seat her gaze fixed firmly on the wooden casket. Charlotte began turning in Quinn's arms, trying to stand and balance on her mothers' lap. When she eventually managed to turn herself around in Quinn's arms her eyes fell upon the picture of Rachel and she smiled, pointing a chubby little finger towards the framed photo. "Ma," she said in a high pitched baby voice. Quinn glanced up to high heaven, trying to steady the flow of tears that were trying to break free, the task proving difficult as Charlotte began "talking" towards the picture.

"Do you want me to take her?" Hiram asked, noticing the anguished look on his daughter in laws face, but Quinn just shook her head in the negative, refusing to let go of the only thing she had left of Rachel until she absolutely had to. Santana who was sitting directly behind the blonde, turned towards Hiram and gave him a look that expressed her concern, she wondered if Quinn would make it through the service. Before anyone could say or do anything or question Quinn herself, the bell alerted the congregation that the funeral was underway.

The service was slightly different to normal funeral services, in that, there were no set traditions or rituals. There was a priest and a rabbi to commemorate both of Rachel's religious upbringings but most of the service would act more like an open forum for people to say their goodbyes so nobody had to worry about knowing certain prayers or things they could just offer up their own in silence while they watched on as family and friends said goodbye for the final time. As everyone settled in for the service to begin, the priest gave a small speech about the passing on of one's soul to another life, or something like that, nobody close to Rachel was really listening, they were all getting ready to give their speeches or in some cases sing a song.

Tina, Mike, Sam and Finn went first, standing from their pew and walking up to the alter, it was in that moment Quinn seemed to snap out of her daze, her focus leaving Rachel's casket and settling on her friends as she shifted Charlotte to sit on her lap as opposed to standing. Blaine produced Lucy Lamb from the carrier bag he had carried into the church and handed it over Quinn's shoulder to the little girl who beamed at the sight of her favourite stuffed toy, grabbing a hold of it and settling back into her mothers' embrace.

"Rachel, was my first love," Finn started, making Santana sit up straight in her seat, not liking where this was going, while Quinn, Quinn just swallowed thickly, waiting to hear what he had to say before deciding whether or not to lose her cool. "She was the first girl I dated who wanted to be with me for who I was and not because I was some jock with a Letterman jacket. She taught me a lot, made me a better person. She, she made me realise I was more than just the next football game, that I was better than the social status that defined me as soon as I put that football jersey on," he said with a serious look on his face, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"I loved Rachel, but I realised that I never really truly owned her heart, because she loved Quinn and for the longest time that made me angry," he stated truthfully. Finn swallowed harshly, his throat felt like it was drying up, but he needed to finish. "But, seeing them together, the way they laughed, the way they smiled, the way they loved, I realised that they were meant to be together. That nobody could love them the way they loved each other," at those words, Santana sank back in her seat, this was going differently than how she thought.

"Rachel was an amazing woman, someone that Charlotte can be proud to look back on be able to call Mom, and someone who Quinn can be proud to say was her wife," Finn stopped for a moment as a tear slipped down his cheek. "Rachel changed my life and for that I will always thank her, and always miss her." Folding up the sheet he had been reading from Finn folded it and stood down from the podium, taking his place next to the others. Sam went next followed by Mike and then Tina who struggled not to cry throughout her speech.

When they made their way back down to their seats Quinn smiled at them, and as Finn went to pass her, she grabbed a hold of his wrist, stopping him and causing him to glance down at her. Looking up at him with a watery smile, she thanked him, and he smiled back, nodding his as he slid her hand down from his wrist into his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze before returning to his seat. Mercedes, Brittany and Artie went next, the blonde receiving a hand squeeze from Santana as she stood up and then the trio made their way to the alter, Artie being helped by the girls.

Mercedes and Artie gave heartfelt speeches and reminisced about the first time the glee club did Don't Stop Believing before sharing individual anecdotes about moments they had shared with the diva both individually and as a group, earning warm laughter from the crowd as well as Quinn who wiped away tears and rocked her daughter. When Brittany took turn, she genuinely moved everyone with her words. Nobody expected her to be quite so eloquent, but they were stunned and endeared by her words, she even recited a poem that Rachel had read to her once.

Artie and Brittany returned to their seats, however Mercedes took up her position just to the side of the alter next to the piano where she was joined by Blaine and a few other musicians. Once Blaine adjusted his mike stand and pressed the first key, the other musicians joined in.

_[Mercedes]_

_No mountain's too high for you to climb_

_All you have to do is have some climbing faith, oh yeah_

_No river's too wide for you to make it across_

_All you have to do is believe it when you pray_

_[Blaine]_

_And then you will see the morning will come_

_And every day will be bright as the sun_

_All of your fears cast them on me_

_I just want you to see_

_[Chorus Both]_

_I'll be your cloud up in the sky_

_I'll be your shoulder when you cry_

_I hear your voices when you call me_

_I am your angel_

_And when all hope is gone, I'm here_

_No matter how far you are, I'm near_

_It makes no difference who you are_

_I am your angel_

_I'm your angel_

_[Blaine]_

_I saw your teardrops and I heard you cry_

_All you need is time_

_Seek me and you shall find_

_You have everything and you're still lonely_

_It don't have to be this way_

_Let me show you a better day_

_[Mercedes]_

_And then you will see the morning will come_

_And all of your days will be bright as the sun_

_So all of your fears just cast them on me_

_How can I make you see?_

_[Repeat Chorus]_

_[Blaine ] And when it's time to face the storm_

_[Mercedes] I'll be right by your side_

_[B] Grace will keep us safe and warm_

_[M] And I know we will survive_

_And when it seems as if your end is drawing near_

_[B] (The end is drawing near)_

_[M] Don't you dare give up the fight _

_[B ] (Oh no)_

_[M] Just put your trust beyond the skies_

_[Both]_

_I'll be your cloud up in the sky_

_I'll be your shoulder when you cry_

_I hear your voices when you call me_

_I am your angel_

When the music drew to a close, Blaine and Mercedes returned to their seats, receiving a tear stained smile from Quinn, Hiram and Leroy also mouthing their thanks as they passed. Ben and Nicole were next to speak and they walked up to the alter, Ben with his arm wrapped around Nicole as they made their way towards the podium. Nicole went first, knowing that Ben needed a couple of extra moments to gather himself together as he was often quite nervous before speaking in front of a crowd.

"Unlike the rest of Quinn and Rachel's friends, Ben and I didn't know them before they were a couple, we only knew the married pair, the girls who were totally and utterly devoted to each other, and because of that, I never imagined them ever being apart," Nicole spoke, stopping for a second as her voice wavered. "Rachel was the strongest, bravest person I have ever known. Did she have her moments of weakness? Of course, she was human just like the rest of us. But even in her darkest moments, Rachel's devotion to her friends and her family never faltered." Wiping at a stray tear, Nicole looked up for towards the sealing to stem the flow of tears so she could continue reading and then returned to gazing at the sheet in front of her.

"Rachel gave so much, and you can see that in the love and respect that was returned to her from everyone to work colleagues to her peers and especially that meant the most to her. Rachel taught me how to love whole heartedly and for that I will be eternally grateful." Standing down from the podium, Nicole accepted the tissue being offered to her by Ben and then stood back as the blonde haired surfer took up the vacant spot she had left and removed the sheet from his pocket. He took a couple of deep breaths, taking a second to look at Quinn and Charlotte, before looking back down at the sheet and starting his speech.

The speech Ben gave was incredibly heartfelt, which surprised even him because he wasn't known for expressing his emotions so openly, he was very similar to Puck in that manner. But he figured he owed it to Rachel to at the very least try and open up, just for the day, just so he could explain to everyone how much he valued Rachel's friendship, how much he would miss her. And he would, so much. When he went to Yale all those years ago, he never imagined he would make close friends like Quinn, Rachel and Nicole, but he did, and he couldn't have been happier. Once he was done, both he and Nicole made their way back to their seats, Quinn smiled at them like she had done everyone else.

The Berry men went next, wanting to express the love, joy and pride Rachel brought to their lives. Their speech was accompanied by a slideshow of pictures of Rachel from when she was a baby, right up to the most recent pictures they had of her. Every moment that was ever important to Rachel, every person who was ever important to her featured in those pictures. Pictures from glee club, from competitions, pictures of sleepovers Rachel had had with her fellow diva's and of course Quinn and of course Brittany and Santana, and many other memories including the day she and Quinn moved into the first apartment, right up to a picture of Rachel holding up an ultrasound scan which transitioned into a picture of Quinn and Rachel sitting on a hospital bed cradling a new-born baby Charlotte.

It was deeply moving and many people inside the church began to tear up as they looked at a life that had been so short, yet so fulfilled. When the Berry men returned to their seats, Quinn hugged them both, tears spilling from her eyes as the images she had just seen continued to flash behind closed eyelids. This is how it would always be from that moment on, pictures and memories, never the real thing. She would never hold Rachel in her arms again, never kiss her, make love to her, from that moment, Rachel would only ever be a memory for Quinn, and that, that cut deep.

Will Schuester was next to take to the podium and he talked openly about a girl called Rachel Berry who walked into his choir room an overly confident, super talented young girl with big dreams and an even bigger voice, and who left a young woman with the ability to take on the world, and who eventually succeeded. He talked about a young woman who stopped him from making the biggest mistake of his life when he almost quit on the glee club, thus altering the course of his life and filling his life with so much love and joy. Will Schuester spoke of a girl who was larger than life and who would forever be remembered for that reason, for being larger than life.

Kurt and Puck were next to go, however rather and making a speech they were going to sing a song, the song they chose, was one of the songs Kurt sang over the last few weeks of high school. Puck walked over to the guitar stand and picked up his guitar, strumming it a few times and tuning it up before plugging in the lead to the amp, while Kurt fixed his Mike stand to suit his height. When they were ready, Puck nodded to the other musicians and then the music began to flood the room.

_Mmmm, mmmm_

_Say good-bye to not knowing when_

_The truth in my whole life began_

_Say good-bye to not knowing how to cry_

_You taught me that_

_And I'll remember the love that you gave me_

_Now that I'm standing on my own_

_I'll remember the way that you changed me_

_I'll remember_

_Inside I was a child_

_That could not mend a broken wing_

_Outside I looked for a way_

_To teach my heart to sing_

_[chorus]_

_I learned to let go of the illusion that we can possess_

_I learned to let go, I travel in stillness_

_And I'll remember happiness_

_I'll remember (I'll remember)_

_Mmmmm... (I'll remember)_

_Mmmmm..._

_[chorus]_

_(I'll remember)_

_No I've never been afraid to cry_

_Now I finally have a reason why_

_I'll remember (I'll remember)_

After putting his guitar down, Puck and Kurt made their way back to their seats, Kurt smiled at Quinn as he passed and Puck, he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before taking his seat and lowering his head to his hand, rubbing his head and then sitting back up straight. Santana inhaled deeply and stood up, speech in hand. Walking with shaky legs, she made it to podium and placed the sheet down on in front of her, straightening the mic and taking one more breath, Brittany smiling at her in encouragement.

"I'm not at making speeches. Make a case sure, but speak publically, about my feelings and stuff, forget it," she said as she shook her head. "Rachel was the one who always wore her heart on her sleeve, who could tell you what you were feeling before you even realised it yourself. I think that's why I always turned to her for advice, because was able to figure me out, to connect the pieces that didn't make sense so that I could understand better, make better choices, she was the annoying voice of reason in my head that told me to do the right thing, even if it was the last thing I wanted to do, and I listened," Santana said, sniffling and nodding her head.

"I listened because I knew she was right. I listened because Rachel always had my best interests at heart. I listened because Rachel wasn't just my best friend, she was like the sister I never had. Whenever I needed her she was there, and now she's gone…" she trailed off as her voice cracked. "She's gone and I have to figure out how I'm supposed to be okay with that, and right now I don't know how," she paused as he wiped at her tears, glancing towards the casket for a moment, before gathering together her composure and continuing.

"I made a promise to Rachel that I would take care of her family, and I'm gonna do that, cause Rachel was my family and I loved her like she was my own flesh and blood and I will always miss her. But I know, somewhere up there, she's looking down on me stomping her foot and my stupidity and screaming at me do the right. So from now on I will, for Rachel." With that, Santana stepped down from the podium and made her way back to her seat, glancing towards Quinn who was stoic, completely unmoving as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Once Santana took her seat Quinn seemed to snap back to reality, dipping her chin, she pressed soft, gentle kisses to her daughters temple and them passed her over to her grand pappy. Smoothing out the front of her dress Quinn stood up and moved to make her way to the podium. On her way, she stopped at her wife's casket, placing her hand on it, as if hoping to draw strength from it, and then continued on her path. Once she was at the podium, she looked out over the crowd, then at her friends, her father's in law, her daughter and then at the framed picture of Rachel. Charlotte spotted her and smiled, her arm flapping up and down in a wave. This seemed to give Quinn the push she needed to speak.

"I didn't bother to write anything down, because I know that no matter what I say, it will never be good enough to express how I truly feel and how much Rachel meant to me," Quinn started, her hands resting on the sides of the podium as she looked out over the faces of the people staring at her. "I loved Rachel from the moment I set eyes on her. This breathtakingly beautiful girl with the voice of an angel. A girl who waltzed into my life and turned it completely upside down in ways that have been so fulfilling and satisfying," she said.

"I went from fearing who I was, to embracing it whole heartedly. I went from feeling alone, to feeling like I could take on the world with Rachel by my side, and I did. Because of her not only that I make my dreams come true but I surpassed my own expectations of what I imagined them to be. Because that's what Rachel did, she made you believe you could do anything and she stood by and supported you all the way through," taking a breather, Quinn glanced down and closed her eyes to try and stop herself from breaking down, she couldn't do it not yet.

"Rachel was the best thing to ever happen to me. She gave me friendship, she gave me unconditional love, but more importantly she gave me our beautiful daughter. The little girl who can light up a room with a smile just like her Mama, who can reduce grown men to puddles of mush just by being her cute adorable self. The little girl who helps her Mommy heal little by little every day just by existing," Quinn aimed a watery smile at her Charlotte before continuing on with her speech. Drawing in a deep breath and letting it out through her nose she continued.

"I didn't just lose my wife the day Rachel passed away, I lost so much more than that. I lost my best friend, my confidante, my soul mate, the love of my life. Charlotte lost out on knowing the greatest person she could have ever known," Quinn spoke as tears streamed down her face and her voice wavered. "Rachel, I have loved you from the very first moment I laid eyes on you, and I will love you every day until my very last breath. Wherever you are, I know you're watching over us and I promise you we will be reunited one day, I promise. I miss you every day, and I love you so, so much."

With that, Quinn stood back from the podium and with unsteady legs, she made her way towards Rachel's casket, placing her hand on it, she leaned down and pressed her lips to the cool wooden lid, lingering there for a moment longer before pulling away. "Goodbye Rach," she whispered, before returning to her seat. Santana squeezed Quinn's shoulder from her place sitting behind her while Hiram and Leroy gave her warm loving fatherly looks before Quinn reached over and grabbed a hold of her daughter, pulling her close and holding her tightly as tears streamed down her face.

As the service ended, Puck, Ben, Blaine, Mike, Sam and Finn, with the aid of the caretakers hoisted Rachel's casket onto their shoulders and carried it down aisle towards the hearse that would take it to the burial ground for the burial where only close family and friends would be in attendance. Quinn walked behind them with Charlotte in her arms, Santana and Brittany flanking her either side while everyone else followed behind as Sarah McLachlan's _I Will Remember You_ played as they made their way out of the church.

Once the casket was in the back of the hearse, the gang all separated back into their travel groups and climbed into their designated cars to make their way to Rachel's final resting place, trying their best to get around the army of paparazzi that had gathered outside. The car ride was proving difficult for Quinn. Charlotte had been startled by all the flashing cameras that had bombarded her when they left the church and the already uneasy and fussy child was now distressed. Charlotte clung to Quinn's chest as she cried, her breath coming out wheezy and strained.

"Lee can you grab Charlie's inhaler from her bag?" Quinn asked, Leroy nodded as he searched through the bag finally finding the little blue pump and the face mask. Connecting them together, he handed it to Quinn who quickly repositioned her daughter and placed the mask over her mouth, pumping twice and then waiting. The medicine working instantly as Charlotte began to settle down, her mother pressing soothing kisses to her forehead. Pulling the mask away, Quinn listened to her daughters breathing and deciding that she sounded okay, passed the pump back to Leroy. Hiram sat with a gentle look on his face, admiring the way Quinn took care of little Charlotte. He knew they would be okay, in time.

By the time the car pulled up at the burial site, the hearse had already removed Rachel's casket and placed it on the electronic lift. Quinn and the Berry' climbed out of the parked SUV, the other cars pulling up behind them and everyone climbing put to join them. As group, they made their way up to the burial site and stood around in a circle. Each member took a moment to say their goodbyes before Blaine went around and passed everyone and a pink rose and a stargazer lily, the two flowers tied together with a tag indicating who each flower was from.

One by one they went up and placed their flowers on top of the casket. When it was Quinn's turn she stepped forward with Charlotte in her arms. Placing her own flower down first, she then held up Charlotte's flower for the little girl to grab a hold of. Once she was sure the little girl had a hold of it, she coaxed her into placing it on the casket by leaning down and pointing to the other flowers. Eventually Charlotte got the idea and held the flowers out towards the pile, Quinn helping her place it down and then standing up straight.

"Say, night night Mama," Quinn said in her child like tone she used when speaking to her daughter, gesturing for her to blow her Mama a kiss. Charlotte looked from Quinn to the casket, then back to Quinn, watching the motion her mother was making before eventually realising what it was she was supposed to do. Turning back towards the casket, Charlotte held her hand to her mouth and made a smacking noise with her lips imitating a kiss. Quinn couldn't hold back the tears as she watched and when Charlotte tuned back to her, pulled her daughter tight to her chest and hugged.

"Good girl," she whispered and then nodded to the man in charge of operating the lift to do his job. Within a second, the casket was being lowered into the ground and Rachel was being laid to rest. "I love you Rach, forever and always," Quinn whispered as she watched on from where she was standing. Once the casket was all the way down, the group began talking amongst themselves. Quinn was rocking her daughter when she noticed someone watching from the distance under the shadow of some trees, when her eyes finally focused, she swallowed thickly.

"Is that who I think it is?" Santana questioned, a nod of Quinn's head confirming what she thought. Before she could threaten to inflict bodily harm, Quinn had passed her off Charlotte and was making her way towards the figure standing off in the distance. With every step Quinn felt her stomach knot and nerves kick in, but she refused to stop. When she was close enough she looked the other person straight in the eyes. "What do want Fran?" she asked her sister, looking at her with eyes that betrayed the uncaring front she was trying to put up. Fran bristled slightly before stepping forward.

"Rachel called me," Fran said, the look on her face indicating her seriousness. Quinn seemed to deflate at those words. What did she mean Rachel called her? Was this some sort of sick joke? Stepping closer she looked Fran up and down, aside from the maturity that now grace Fran's features, the only sign that she was now in her mid-thirties, the older blonde had changed very little from the Fran that Quinn had last seen all those years ago when she was a teenager.

"When she found out her prognosis, she got in contact with me. I guess she wanted to bridge the distance between us. She told me that my baby sister would need me, and I realised that I wanted to be there for," Fran spoke her voice wavering as she watched the tears streaming down her younger sisters face. "Why now? Why not years ago" Quinn asked, wanting, needing to understand. Fran could see the questions rolling around in the younger blondes mind and she decided she needed to answer them.

"The same reason you waited so long to tell mom and dad you were gay. I was afraid of Russell. I was afraid if I stood up for you that he would cut me off and, I know that's no excuse, but at the time I was just out of college for a degree he paid for. I was living in an apartment he rented for me. I was in no position to turn around and throw it back in his face. I would have ended up with nothing. I was like you Quinn I didn't have a second family to fall back on. So I waited, I waited until I was secure enough to stand on my own two feet, but by then, you had already cut yourself off from everyone we knew and I had no way of contacting you. If I'd reached out people would have thought I was just so gold digger family member wanting to sponge off my sisters' fame, and I didn't want that."

Quinn could see it in Fran's eyes, the honest that they held, that those words conveyed. This wasn't an act. This was Fran standing up and taking accountability for her actions. Did it hurt to know that her sister had taken her fathers' side because of money? Of course. But at the same time, she could also understand the difficult position Fran had been put in by their fathers need to be in control. Quinn wished more than anything she'd had her sister all those years ago, but she didn't and she couldn't change that.

What she could do was take the opportunity that Rachel had given her and accept Fran into her life. The choice was Quinn's and only Quinn's. Chewing on her lip Quinn thought long and hard about what she would do, Rachel wouldn't have asked Fran to be there if she had any reason to believe that she wasn't sorry for what she had done, and she trusted her wife to make the right decisions. So, with a quick glance up to heaven, Quinn stepped closer to Fran and hesitantly reached out to clutch her hand.

"I'd really like to have my big sister back," Quinn spoke in soft gently voice, eyes shining with tears. Fran's face broke out into a wide smile as tears slipped down her cheeks and she pulled Quinn into a warm embrace, holding her close. When they pulled apart, Fran cupped her younger sisters' face in her hands and wiped away the fallen tears with her thumbs. When Fran's gaze focused over Quinn's shoulder, the younger blonde turned to find Santana walking towards her with Charlotte. Accepting her daughter into her arms, Quinn nodded at the Latina to say it was okay and with that Santana returned to join the group.

"Fran, meet my daughter, Charlotte," Quinn said with a smile as she glanced down at her daughter who was looking up at the strange person with curiosity and a little bit of fear. Fran gently reached out and gripped Charlotte's hand shaking it a little and smiling at the infant. Charlotte gazed up at her mother for guidance. "It's okay, say hi," Quinn encouraged her. Charlotte slowly looked down at the hand that was still gripping hers and then looked back up at Fran. "She's beautiful Quinn," Fran replied.

"Oh, actually there's another reason I'm here. Rachel wanted me to give you this," Fran said as she reached into her purse and pulled out two USB's. Quinn looked at them in confusion, taking them into her hand before looking back up at Fran for an explanation. "One is a playlist, kind of like a mix tape that Rachel recorded in secret, for you and for Charlotte," Fran said and watched as a tear escaped Quinn's eye. Before her sister could ask what the other one was Fran continued. "The other one is Rachel's record, completed and ready for release whenever you give the okay."

Quinn gazed down at the two little sticks in her hand in awe. All this time she thought Rachel had been bonding with their friends, she was working on this. Quinn feared when Rachel passed that she would never have a proper recording of Rachel to listen to once she was gone but now, now she had two and it made her heart swell and ache all at the same time. As a sob escaped her, she found herself tucked up in her sisters' arms, so grateful in that moment that she was there.

Before the gang left, Quinn brought Fran down to the grave site, the elder blonde wanted to say a prayer for the woman who had changed her sister for the better, and then, they went home. After a long emotional day, Quinn was looking forward to being home, surrounded by things that reminded her of Rachel and getting the chance to listen to the mix tape Rachel had recorded. Bathing and dressing Charlotte, Quinn put the little girl to bed, the long day finally catching up to her. Placing a loving kiss to her daughters forehead, Quinn tucked her in and left the room, practically dragging her own tired body down the hall to the master bedroom.

Closing the door over Quinn walked over to the speakers on the corner of the room and plugged the USB into it. After pressing play, she climbed onto her side of the bed and picked up one of the throw pillows and hugged it to her chest, just as Rachel's voice filled the room as the diva soothingly sang the words to _I Knew I Loved You_, the song they danced to on their wedding day.Reaching out her hand, Quinn ran it across the smooth surface of the untouched side of the bed where her wife used to rest, the absence stabbing Quinn through the heat like a sharp knife.

Turning to her own nightstand next to the bed, Quinn gazed at the picture of Rachel that took pride of place right next to her. Sitting in front of it was the letter Rachel had written for her and wanted her to read after she was gone. Quinn had put off reading it for days, not wanting the reality of the fact her wife was gone confronting her in the written word. But, with her wife's voice and the memories that were housed in that room, Quinn found the strength to finally open it. So, picking up the envelop Quinn carefully opened the seal and removed the letter.

_My dearest Quinn,_

_There are no words to describe how I'm feeling right now, knowing that I won't be with you and Charlotte any longer. It pains me more than you can imagine and I want you to know that if I could change things I would. But unfortunately I must accept the fate that has placed upon me, but know that it is with a heavy heart that I part from you._

_You are the best thing to ever happen to me Quinn Fabray and, wherever I end up in the next life, I will happily shout from the top of my lungs that I was loved by the most incredible woman to ever walk the planet. If I could go back in time there isn't a single thing I would change, because those moments made us Quinn. They shaped us and made us who we are right now._

_They may have been hard and they may have been trying, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe that you were sent to show me true love, and you did that Quinn, in so many ways every single day. I believe that we were destined to be together because no one could ever complete me the way you do._

_When I watch you play with our daughter I know there is no better person I could have chosen to have a family with. You are the best mom Quinn, Charlotte is the luckiest little girl in the world because she has you and because of that, I know she'll be fine, because she has a mother who will walk to the ends of the earth for her, just like you did for me._

_You are the love of my life Quinn Fabray. I have cherished every single moment of our time together and just like I promised, I will love you eternally into the next. We'll reunite one day baby, I promise. Just like Jack and Kate at the end of Titanic, only our ship will be a Broadway stage, and I'll be standing front and centre, waiting._

_I love you so much Quinn, __forever__and__always__, Rachel* xoxo_

As the last of her tears fell, Quinn braised up the letter to her face and placed a kiss to it and then carefully folded it back up and placing it inside the envelop. Closing the seal over, Quinn brought the letter to her chest and hugged it close as she scooted down the bed and turned on her side facing the smiling picture of her wife that watched over her every night and that greeted her every morning. Swallowing around the lump in her throat Quinn gazed longingly at the picture and whispered, "I love you Rach, forever and always."

**There we have it. I couldn't end the story without throwing in a few songs, it wouldn't be a Glee fanfic otherwise. Please review and I look forward to reading what you have to say. See you for the epilogue. And for anyone I may have cause emotional distress I apologise. **


	53. Epilogue

**Author's Note at the end, please read.**

_One Year Later…._

The sound of _The Ellen Show _theme music blared around the studio as the cameras were repositioned towards the world famous talk show host who was sitting in her usual position after finishing one of the shows weekly games. The audience was clapping along to the beat as they waited for it to die down so that the show would continue. After another brief moment, a bright red light flickered on above one of the cameras to indicate that they were live and the music faded out.

"My next guest is a very dear friend of mine. Making her first talk show appearance in almost two years please welcome Quinn Fabray." As soon as Ellen stood up, the DJ began blaring Michael Bublé's _Beautiful Day_ and the audience applauded as the angelic blonde woman appeared from backstage, stepping out onto the studio steps, a warm smile on her face as she waved back. Walking down the steps, she moved quickly around the chair that was in her way and walked straight into Ellen's embrace, the two women whispering in one another's ears, Quinn receiving reassuring words from her friend before pulling back and turning to face the audience again waving and blowing them a kiss before finally taking a seat.

"I would say it's good to see you but we had dinner last night and I saw you then so, hey again, but I know these guys are thrilled to see you back," Ellen said, the crowd cheering and clapping at what she had said. Quinn chuckled as she made herself comfortable in the armchair, brushing a loose strand of her side fringe out of her eyes. "I know it's been too long. But I figured if I was going to get back into doing the talk show rounds there was no better place to start than right here. Just the love and warmth of your audience, it's amazing."

More cheers erupted from the audience and Ellen smiled as she watched the blonde actress soak in the adoration that was being showered upon her. Prior to the show, Quinn and Ellen had discussed what topics the actress would be comfortable talking about and what were considered no go zones. Quinn had explained that she was fine with Ellen mentioning Rachel's passing but any questions regarding her death or the months leading up to it were things she was not ready to talk about, but she gave the talk show host permission to ask about her daughter and of course to discuss the projects Quinn was there to promote.

"So obviously, being in this industry, your life is pretty much out there for everyone to read about and so our audience is aware of the tough time you've been through, but I just want to say that we love you, and we're so glad your back and we support you in everything you do," Ellen said with a sincere tone. Quinn smiled softly and reached out to squeeze Ellen's hand in thanks and then pulled it back and leaned her arm on the armrest as she pooled her emotions so as not to cry on national television.

"I actually want to take a moment while I'm here to thank everybody who sent messages of love and support to me and my family. We appreciated it so much and I can't tell you how moved I was, just, from the bottom of my heart thank you, really, thank you," Quinn stated her hand placed over heart on her chest as she gazed out at the audience. Again the everyone clapped and Ellen allowed it until her floor manager gestured for her to move it along for timing reasons and then he turned around and gestured with his hands for the applause to stop.

"So you have a beautiful daughter, and, how old is she now, two, three?" Ellen asked as she straightened out her blazer and leaned back in her seat. Quinn's face lit up at the mention of her daughter as one of her hands moved to fidget with the Claddagh ring on her right hand. "She's two years old and she is the cutest thing ever," Quinn's eyes sparkled as she talked, just as she trailed off, a Twitter video of Charlotte flashed up on the huge screen behind them and Quinn turned to look at it. "Oh there she is, isn't she adorable?" Quinn asked looking out at the audience.

In the video, Charlotte was sitting on the floor in their living room playing with her miniature piano, tapping on the keys every few seconds and then turning to smile up at the camera and talk to her mother who was behind it. "That's adorable," Ellen said, "Is she a musical kid, does she seem like she's going to go down that path?" she asked as she turned away from the big screen to face her friend and guest. Quinn smiled once more at the video and then turned back to face Ellen, licking her lips as she thought about the question for a moment.

"Um, yeah, I mean she's two years old so right now anything that moves or makes a noise is the best thing ever. But, yeah she really likes things that are musical, she has her own little piano and guitar and she has a little mic that she sings into," Quinn said, holding her hand up as if she were holding a microphone as she talked, "She loves to dance too and most mornings we have a little dance off when I make breakfast, it's great, she's just a really happy kid, you know, she loves to learn and explore. She's great."

With that Ellen announced that they would be taking a break and the shows theme music played out over the studio. Once their mics were off Ellen and Quinn engaged in idle chit chat, the talk show host making sure her friend was comfortable with everything before they turned the topic to Charlotte. The little girl had been to dinner with them the previous night and Ellen had informed Quinn that Portia was besotted with her, that beaming smile and gentle nature again winning over her mothers' friends and peers.

When they came back from break, the two women discussed the two new movies that Quinn had coming out during the year. One was an FBI thriller set in New York and the other was a black comedy about a mob family that's sent into witness protection. The two roles were quite different and early reviews had been very positive for both the movies and Quinn's portrayals. On top of that she had another movie, a romantic drama, that was due to go into production later in the year, only this one hit very close to home for Quinn, which made preparations for the role rather easy.

"Now, you've also received some fantastic news which you've been told you can share with us today in reference to Rachel's album," Ellen said as she picked up a copy of the CD off the table next to her and held it up. Quinn nodded her head as she leaned forward and picked up the mug off the coffee table and took a few sips of water before sitting back and leaning the mug on the arm of the chair still in her grasp. Quinn had just been told of the news the day before but had been given the okay to make the news public.

"Yes, I did. So I got a call yesterday from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and they have informed me that Rachel has been posthumously nominated for several Grammy Awards, so I'm very excited," Quinn stated with a smile on her face, though her eyes slightly betrayed her enthusiasm. When Quinn had received the news it had originally upset her, knowing her wife wouldn't be there on the night and accept any of the awards should she win, but after thinking it over she realised that winning a Grammy was part of Rachel's dream and eventually, after the news had sunk in, she smiled.

"Wow, that's fantastic," Ellen cheered along with the audience. "I think that those nominations are highly deserved, it's an incredible album, I listen to it constantly and I know this is something she wanted to achieve so I hope that things go her way because she really deserves it." Quinn nodded her head at those words, she whole heartedly agreed, and after announcing that an animated movie Rachel had worked on before she fell ill had been completed and was due for release next summer, Ellen wrapped up the interview by wishing Quinn well and with that the show ended.

Before leaving, Quinn took a moment to go out into the audience and meet with fans. Everyone smiled when Ellen appeared from backstage with Charlotte resting on her hip as the little girl gazed out hesitantly at all the people before spotting her mother and calling out to her in a happy high pitched voice. The little girl was very talkative, but like all two year olds while some words were clear as day, most of her sentences were a little muddled but usually you could get the general gist of what it was she was trying to say.

After signing one more autograph, Quinn made her way down the steps and happily accepted her daughter into her arms. When the DJ put on some music, Charlotte began to bounce in Quinn's arms so she set her down on her feet and chuckled lightly when her daughter started dancing to the music, Ellen joining in and making the little girl smile. Once the song came to an end, Quinn took a hold of her daughters hand and nudged her to wave at everyone, which she did after some more prompting and then they slowly walked back behind the stage towards the green room to say goodbye.

_Two Days Later, Back in New York…._

Quinn woke up to the sound of the busy streets outside her window. Even after all these years she still wasn't used to being woken up in that way. Stretching out she yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and, with one more final stretch, she kicked the covers off and flung her legs over the side of the bed. Being a single parent, Quinn had to quickly get used to getting herself up and ready for the day. Rachel was always the morning person so even if Quinn had to get up for an early morning shoot or flight, her wife would always be there to make sure she was up.

But that wasn't the case anymore, Quinn and Charlotte were on their own, and Quinn was solely responsible for the day to day care of her daughter. There was no more swapping duties every other day if she'd had a particularly late shoot and was too tired to get up. There was no more having the luxury of sleeping in a little longer before getting up to shower and dress while Charlotte was tended to down the hall. No, Quinn was a single parent and that meant double the responsibility and double the compromise. But she didn't care, she loved her daughter more than life itself, she would do anything for her.

Walking down the hallway she walked into the room and as per usual, Charlotte was standing up in the crib with her hands on the bars smiling at her mother as she waited to be picked up and freed from her night time jail. Quinn reached into the crib, lifted Charlotte up and placed a kiss on her forehead before setting her down and watching on in amusement as the tiny brunette picked up her Simba lion doll and scampered out of the room in search of Arthur.

"Good morning to you too," Quinn shouted down the hall after her daughter, laughing quietly at her little early riser. Making her way towards the kitchen, Quinn poured herself a coffee from the freshly brewed pot and then retrieved a jug of orange juice from the fridge that she had put in there the night before and poured some into a sippy cup. Putting the jug back in the fridge, she then picked up the sippy cup and walked into the living room where her daughter was sat on her play mat playing with some toys and handed the plastic cup to the little girl who smiled.

Returning to the kitchen, she then removed the note pinned to the fridge by a magnet that she had earlier ignored and unfolded it, instantly recognising Santana's handwriting. '_You never answered my question about whether or not you would double date with me, Britts and Sara. I'll be expecting a text at some point today with your answer, S'. _Quinn huffed at the note and then scrunched it up, tossing it into the garbage can under the sink. She should have known the Latina wouldn't let it go, her radio silence should have been answer enough.

Santana had taken it upon herself to try and set Quinn up on dates, hoping to gently nudge her back onto the dating scene. She wasn't trying to disrespect Rachel's memory or anything, she just worried that the longer Quinn put off dating again, the harder it would be until it got to a point where the blonde was fifty and still single. Santana cared about Quinn and Charlotte a great deal, she believed they both deserved to have someone new in their life, someone who would love them and complete their somewhat fractured family.

But Quinn wasn't budging. As far as she was concerned both herself and Charlotte had enough family around them and neither of them needed anyone to step in to fill some invisible void that had been left with Rachel's passing. Quinn just couldn't fathom the idea of sharing her life with anyone else. Even if Quinn wanted to start dating again she knew that even if she ended up with someone really sweet and caring, she could never love them like they deserved to be loved. Too much of her heart was consumed and owned by Rachel and she just didn't have enough left to offer up to anybody else.

Picking up her phone, Quinn sent off a text to Santana, '_S, please stop with the match making. Tell Sara thanks but no thanks. I'm just not ready, and, I don't know if I'll ever be, Q'. _After she saw the message sent notification under the message, she put the phone down and picked up the remote for the tv in the kitchen, turning it onto some dumb early morning chat show and then making a start on breakfast. It was a Friday, which meant Quinn and Charlotte had a date to keep. Making up a plate of scrambled egg and bacon, and a small bowl of scrambled egg with a side bowl of some chopped up fruit, she brought them to the dining table and put them down.

"Charlie," she called out and the sound of bare feet padding across the living room alerted her to her daughter's presence. Lifting her daughter up, she sat her in the booster seat of the chair and strapped her in and then pushed the chair closer to the table. Charlotte instantly dipped her spoon into the bowl of eggs and began munching away, even while Quinn tried to put a bib around her to stop her from spilling everything down her front. Once Charlotte was all set, Quinn sat down and got stuck into her own breakfast.

"Hey baby guess what, we're gonna go see Mama today," Quinn said in a cheery voice, still with its slight baby tone since Charlotte was still quite young. The little brunette gazed up at her with bright brown eyes. "Bwing Ardur?" Charlotte asked in her tiny baby voice looking down at the dog who was lying between both Quinn and Charlotte at the dining table. Quinn smiled and dropped a piece of bacon on the ground for Arthur to munch on. "Yeah, baby, we'll bring Arthur. I'm sure he misses Mama too."

And he did. When Rachel had passed away Arthur had moped around the house for weeks, often sitting at the door like he used to when the diva would be at the theatre and he would await her return. But she never came through that door and Arthur didn't understand where she had gone. It's hard with dogs, you can't explain to them that their owner has died and can't physically come back, it some ways it probably makes them feel like they've been abandoned. But Quinn made sure to 'explain' every day where Rachel really was and that she still loved him.

Other people probably thought Quinn was crazy, but she felt justified in her talks with Arthur when on his first trip to Rachel's grave, he lay next to her headstone, just like he used to lie next to her in bed. Deep down Quinn believed he knew and that was good enough for her. When everyone was done with their food, Quinn put the dishes in the kitchen and then unstrapped Charlotte from her seat and they both walked to the room to get washed and dressed. Quinn headed straight for her daughters room, helping her bathe and dress before leaving her in the living room with the tv turned on.

Returning to her own room, Quinn quickly jumped into the shower and got washed, thankful that she had washed her the night before to save time, and then jumped out, towelling herself off and walking back into the bedroom towards her wardrobe to pick out her outfit. Settling on a knee length dress and cardigan, she dressed herself and then moved to her vanity mirror, picking up the chain with Rachel's wedding ring and putting it around her neck and then putting on the Claddagh ring she had removed before climbing in the shower.

After applying some make-up and spraying some perfume, Quinn made her way back to the living room. Moving towards the coat stand, she picked up her own coat and Charlotte's and then went to fetch her daughter. "Charlie come on, we gotta get going," she said and watched as Charlotte placed her two hands on the floor in front of her and used them to balance as she stood up. The toddler made her way over to her Mommy and reached a hand into her coat, Quinn helping her put it on the rest of the way, zipping it up once she was done.

The chime of Quinn's phone caught her attention and she read the preview box on the screen that told her the driver was downstairs waiting for her. Putting on her own coat, she picked up her purse and put it on her shoulder then gripped Charlotte's hand in her own leading her to the door. Before exiting, Quinn picked up the carrier bag by the door that had a few things, including Charlotte's inhaler inside and then Arthur's lead. Beckoning the dog over, she attached the leash to his collar.

Charlotte had finally been diagnosed as being asthmatic when she was eighteen months old. The doctor had told Quinn that although there was a small possibility that Charlotte might grow out of it, more than likely she would remain asthmatic into her adult life. However he was quick to assure her that many people live happy healthy lives with asthma and as long as Charlotte used the inhaler whenever she needed it, she would be perfectly fine.

Once outside on the streets of New York, Quinn lifted Charlotte into the waiting SUV, followed by Arthur and then climbed in herself. The driver closed the door behind her and then climbing into the driver's seat and slowly pulling out into NYC traffic. After Rachel's passing Puck re-evaluated his life and what he was doing and realised, from all his time spent on film sets, that he really wanted to get involved in film making and went on to enrol himself at film school in New York, though when his schedule allowed, he still worked closely with Quinn.

Puck wasn't the only whose life had changed since the diva's passing. Santana had been made a partner in the law firm she worked at and had received a rather large pay rise, while Brittany and Mike had opened up their own dance studio franchise with Santana and Quinn's help. Santana and Brittany had discussed starting a family, but decided to put it off for a couple more years until their careers had settled down a bit after all the changes. Mike and Tina got engaged the night Tina opened her first Broadway show as the lead actress, and they were planning a winter wedding.

Kurt left the fashion house he had been working for and had started his own successful business as a stylist, working with many A-List celebrities and rich elitists. Blaine was still working away as a successful stage star and had even completed a small tour on his own throughout the States over the summer. He and Kurt were currently in the process of starting a family, the pair looking to adopt. Ben and Nicole, after years of playful flirting and on off relationships with other people, had finally found themselves in a long term relationship. Ben expanded his surf and leisure company to the east coast and now spent much of his time there while Nicole continued to write plays for the stage.

Mercedes released her first album to rave reviews and embarked on a US and European tour, Sam's band was her supporting act and they were finally getting the recognition they had been working so hard for. Back in Lima, Finn married his fiancée at the beginning of the year and they recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Cory. He also coached the Titans to their first major title in years and he was already on the road to repeating his success streak with the New Directions. Will was still dedicated to the arts and had successfully helped to get a bill passed to make the arts available to underprivileged public schools across the country. Emma was still working as the school guidance counsellor while dealing with their growing twin boys.

Sue, after countless victories and trophies, finally retired as coach of the Cheerio's, she was now principal…. And a patron of the arts at McKinley High, much to the shock of everyone. Coach Beiste stayed on as assistant coach to help put Finn and finally found a decent man to settle down with. They met at the honkytonk bar Beiste went to in order to unwind. And Hiram and Leroy, they remained in Lima, carrying on with their respective careers, though they were close to retirement. They regularly visited New York and Quinn and Charlotte flew back for the holidays. They missed their daughter dearly but they carried on as normal just as she had asked.

And Fran, well, Fran kept her promise to be there for Quinn and over the course of the year, the sisters had re-established their broken relationship and mended bridged that they thought had been burned long ago. Quinn also got to meet her two young nephews for the first time and they were more than a little star struck but the blonde loved how good they were with their baby cousin. They were so gentle with her and always included her in games. And Fran's husband Mark was a real top guy, always willing to lend Quinn a hand whenever she needed it.

The car finally pulled into the cemetery, slowing down almost to a crawl as the driver made his way to the location he had become all too familiar with. Spotting the oak tree that stood like a shelter over Rachel's gave, the driver pulled the car up to a stop. Quinn thanked him as she opened the door and climbed out. Arthur jumped off the high step of the SUV and sat a few paces a way from Quinn, waiting for his mother. The blonde then turned and lifted Charlotte down from the car and placed her standing by her said and then closed the door.

Grabbing a hold of her daughters hand, Quinn then released Arthur from his lead and allowed him to walk freely. Adjusting the purse and bag on her shoulder, Quinn started towards her wife's grave, Charlotte toddling along beside her, the blonde kept her pace slow so as not throw her daughter off balance as she walked. Quinn gazed up ahead and noticed that Arthur was sitting in front of a headstone, smiling to herself when she came to a stop right next to her beloved pooch. Gazing at the headstone, Quinn read the words that were ingrained in her mind.

_Rachel Fabray, 1994-2023, Beloved wife, mother, daughter and friend. An angel watching over us, Forever in our hearts. _

Placing her purse down on the ground in front of her, Quinn opened the carried bag and removed a picnic blanket placing it down on the ground next to the trunk of the tree beside the grave and the proceeded to sit down, wrapping her arms around her daughter and perching her on her lap. Arthur decided against sitting on the blanket and instead moved to lie right next to Rachel's headstone. Quinn looked up, the sun was high in the sky but there was a cool breeze blowing, the branches and the leaves hanging from the tree sheltering them.

"Hey Rach, it's me. I told you I'd never miss a date," Quinn joked, remember a promise she had made years ago in high school. Quinn had been forced to visit family out of town and was due to arrive back the night she was supposed to take Rachel out on a date, but the diva's curfew would have prevented her from being able to go out later. So, when Quinn had arrived back, she packed up a picnic basket, snuck out of the house and made her way to Rachel's sneaking into her girlfriends' room through the window and waking her up, thus never missing their date.

"Hi Mama," Charlotte said around the fingers in her mouth, choosing to stand and lean into Quinn and rest her on her mothers' shoulder as she gazed at the headstone. Quinn smiled at her daughter wrapping her arm around her and hugging her tight. The blonde smiled up at her daughter as the little brunette excitedly chattered on about the animals she saw at the zoo the other day. "Tell Mama what your favourite was," Quinn encouraged. "Onkee's," Charlotte exclaimed in delight. "The monkeys," Quinn repeated the inflection in her voice going up at the end almost like a question as she wriggled Charlotte in her arms making the toddler laugh before she reached up a hand and brushed the hair away from her face.

"You wanna tell Mama what happened to Aunty Tana's computer the other?" Quinn asked. Charlotte turned to face her Mama's grave, almost as if it were an actual person and not an inanimate object. "Um, Nuncle No-No bwoked it," Charlotte said with a serious look on her face, looking to her Mommy to make sure she was telling the story right and Quinn nodded. "That's right and who fixed it?" Quinn asked. Charlotte thought for a moment and then looked up at her mother with inquisitive eyes. "Nuncle Ben?" she asked and Quinn giggled.

"That's right uncle Ben fixed it," Quinn replied with a nod of her head. Charlotte smiled as she continued to look at her mother. "Tana go Lima lights," Charlotte said with big wide grin on her voice, mixing up Heights with lights making Quinn laugh harder. "Yeah baby, Tana went all Lima Heights on Uncle No-No." For the next half hour Quinn and Charlotte continued their back and forth banter, telling Rachel about all the things that had happened that week. It was strange, but in those moments, it almost felt like Rachel was there with them.

"Baby, I've got some really awesome news for you," Quinn said, glancing up at the sky to her angel before gazing back down. "You got nominated at the Grammy's," Quinn stated with a happy smile on her face, even as a tear slid down her cheek. "Santana has informed me that she's gonna be going with me whether or like it or not. Apparently she's the only one who has the "balls" to keep me together and toughen me up so I don't fall apart at the ceremony," she chuckled remembering the phone call with her friend when she had called to tell her about Rachel's nominations.

In fact Santana had been a constant for Quinn since Rachel passed, always there whenever she needed her, always answering her calls and always, always taking the time to bond and just hang out with Charlotte. Santana took her role as godmother seriously and Quinn couldn't have been more grateful. The Latina even tagged along when Quinn got a tattoo in her wife's honour on her left rib cage, the diva's name surrounded by the musical notes of Charlie Chaplin's _Smile_. The tattoo side by side with the tattoo Quinn had of Charlotte's name under her left breast.

"She's really been there for us Rach, you'd be so proud of her, of Puck too. Everybody really," Quinn said as she wiped away the tear, glancing away for a moment to see Charlotte picking up a daisy she found on the grass and placing it next to the headstone before she turned to Arthur and started talking to him. The sight made Quinn's chest ache and couldn't help the tears that fell. She bowed her head for a moment before looking back up at the sky with watery eyes. "God, I just miss you so much Rach. Every single minute of every day. And I know, eventually, the pain will lessen, but I'll never stop missing you," she trailed off as she choked on a sob.

Seeing the tears in her mothers' face Charlotte stumbled over to Quinn and placed to small hands on her Mommy's cheeks and wiped away the tears, like the grown-ups did whenever she cried. When all the tears were gone Charlotte kissed her mothers' cheek and then wrapped her small arms around Quinn's neck as best she could, the blonde pulling her daughter close and basking in the comfort she found in her two year old daughter. Arthur lifted his head and whined a little as he stared at Quinn but settled back down when she patted his head.

"You'd be so proud of Charlie. she's taking real good care of her Mommy, just like you asked her to. Lots of hugs and kisses whenever I need them. She makes it all easier, alleviates the pain," Quinn spoke, running her hand through her daughters' hair. "She's beautiful Rach, just like you. She's so sweet and so gentle. She still has social anxiety but, we're working on it," Quinn said as she gazed down at Charlotte, playfully patting her on the backside.

Glancing down at her watch, Quinn realised they'd been there for an hour, it was time to go. Standing up she picked up the blanket, dusting off the dirt and folded it up, placing it back in the carrier bag and then pulling it onto her shoulder along with her purse. Reaching down she grabbed a hold of Charlotte's hand and held it tight. Arthur lifted himself from the ground and trotted over to his family and plopped himself down in a sitting position.

"We gotta go Rach, but we'll be back same time next week, okay," Quinn said before glancing down at her daughter. "Wave bye to Mama," she said. Charlotte looked at the headstone and waved her hand. "Bye Mama," she said. Quinn then glanced up to heaven and blew a kiss up to the clouds. "I love you baby. Forever and always. I'll talk to you soon." With that Quinn called on Arthur to follow and the small family walked away from the grave towards the car, headed for home.

In the distance a figure in a white dress watched over them, brunette hair flicking in the gentle breeze a soft loving smile on her face. Charlotte, who had been walking along chatting animatedly with her mother gazed up and spotted the pretty woman. Something about her was warm and friendly, so the little girl waved at her and smiled, the woman smiled back and blew her a kiss. Quinn noticed Charlotte waving and turned to look in that direction, but there was nothing there, just a tree standing alone in the distance. Squeezing Charlotte's hand, they walked to the car and climbed in, intent on spending the evening with their dysfunctional make shift family and the love that came with it.

The End.

**And that's it, the journey is finally complete. I want to take this moment to thank every single person who favoured, followed and reviewed this story throughout and who have shared it with so many other people. It's been one heck of a journey and it's really taught me something about what it takes to be a writer and I appreciate all the feedback I have received from everyone who has taken the time to express their thoughts and opinions with me.**

**Eventually I will be editing all the chapters of this story to remove all the mistakes I made and will either re post the updated version here, or will upload it as a downloadable ebook, depending on interest. **

**I hope you all join me on my next adventure When Nightmares Become Reality, I hope to have the first chapter up in the coming weeks so stay tuned.**

**This has been a tough week for the Glee fandom as a whole, across all ships. Cory Monteith was a lovely guy and a wonderful actor. I know there are many who weren't particularly fond of Finn Hudson as a character but it's important that we remember to separate Finn from the actor who portrayed him. Cory dedicated so much of his time to charities and making sure young people had a productive, creative outlet in Project Limelight, so that they didn't end up on the same path he did as a teenager and for that, I think people should remember all the good that he did. His death was terrible tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time and I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Cory. RIP you tall, awkward Canadian, actor, drummer person. You'll be missed by the entire Glee fandom.**

**Thanks you everyone.**


	54. Author's Note

Hi everyone, just a little note to answer some questions that were asked in the reviews for Saving Me and a little heads up on what I'll be doing over the next couple of days.

So as I said, I'm going to be starting my new fic When Nightmares Become Reality in the next couple of days. Because of this I will be taking down the original teaser I posted and then reposting the story online with the first chapter. So, if anyone has followed that, please don't panic if you find it's no longer on your following list, I'm only taking it down momentarily and then you can re follow it once I post the first chapter.

I've decided I'm going to keep the name the same rather than changing it so it will be easy to find once it's back up or if you do have trouble finding it just look me up and you'll find it on my page.

Now, to answer some questions that were put forward over the last couple of chapters regarding Saving Me.

First of all, the reason for Artie's small presence compared to the rest of the Gleeks, and it's pretty selfish really but, I'm not a fan of white boys who try to act black, I think it's the most annoying thing ever and white people can't pull it off without looking stupid we just don't have the sass or the attitude…. Bieber I'm talking to you! And for that reason I didn't want to go through the pains of having to write Artie. (BTW, Artie won't feature at all in my next fic).

Someone mentioned that they didn't like that Santana was trying to set Quinn up on double dates in the last chapter. To be honest, I didn't really want to put it in, just from a fan perspective but from a writers perspective, I had to be as truthful to the story as I could and in real life people do move on and they do fall in love again, especially if they are quite young like Quinn is when they lost their love, not everyone but some do.

So for that reason I needed someone in the story to try and encourage Quinn to move on, just for the purpose of giving the story some balance because, to me, it would be ridiculous if everyone just accepted the fact that Quinn wanted to spend the rest of her life without someone by her side, because, for someone that young, it does seem like a very naïve ideal to have, to just accept that fact that you will never love again. Who's to say that won't change 5, 10, 20 years down the road, you just don't know.

Obviously, from the way I ended the story, I went with the inner fan in me and chose to wrap up the story with Quinn still hopelessly in love with Rachel, because that's how the story began. But for the purpose of storytelling, I had to throw in some balance.

The reason I brought Charlotte into the story was because at that point, I more or less knew how I was going to end the story, and because I knew I wasn't going to give Quinn a new love interest, I had to give her a different kind of happy ending, well, happy-ish.

A lot of this story kept pretty close to Glee in terms of characterisation and background stories because I started writing this story while I was still heavily involved in watching the, but I can tell you now, that in When Nightmares Become Reality, the backgrounds for the characters who appear in it will be vastly different from what we've seen on Glee. It will be a lot more AU than this fic was.

Over the next day or two, I will be editing this entire story to remove the mistakes I made as well as all the A/N's at the beginning and end of the chapters and the notes that were uploaded as chapters. That way re reading the story will be easier and more fluid. When I'm done I'll consider the idea of an ebook.

Thanks again for all the support and I look forward to seeing you next journey.


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